Growing Pains
by Kadi219
Summary: [Raydor/Flynn] - Growing together, growing apart, or growing up. Any one of these things can be filled with many emotions, and as painful as it is wonderful. It is how we embrace those moments of growth that define us. Spoilers - Season 4.
1. Chapter 1

**Growing Pains**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** It isn't my sandbox, but I do enjoy it so!

 **A/N:** A belated birthday gift for **ProfTweety** \- Sorry dear, I tried very hard to get it done in time. Here's to you, and I hope your day was filled with much laughter, joy, and light. As always, for the twin who listens to all my rambling, **kate04us** thank you ever so!

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 **Chapter 1 – Rusty**

"Don't do it, pal." Andy's hands were on his hips. He stood; shoulders tense and a deep scowl drawing his brows together. He glared darkly and shook his head; his lip curled in disgust. "Come on, buddy. This is such a bad idea. Don't… God almighty!" He threw his hands up in exasperation and turned away from the television. "Moron," he declared. Just as he feared, the ball bounced off the third base player's glove just as Andrus reached the base; he rounded it and headed toward home. Andy groaned loudly as the other team's shortstop and heavy hitter scored off the incomplete throw. The Rangers were now up three to zip in the eighth inning and headed toward their second win in a four game series. Texas was on a hot streak and his boys were playing like complete crap.

In the kitchen, Rusty shot a pointed look at Sharon as he took down plates for setting the table. "He can't watch the game at his place?"

Sharon stood at the stove putting the finishing touches on dinner. She rolled her eyes heavenward before she plastered a smile on her face and turned toward Rusty. For someone who had seemed so intent, just a few months ago, at pointing out how serious her relationship with Andy was becoming, he was certainly putting on quite a show of being less than thrilled with the fact that they were now, officially, dating. Sharon reminded herself, again, that Rusty's issues with the situation stemmed from a past that was less than pleasant where his biological mother's boyfriends were concerned. She added a quiet reminder, too, that he had deep abandonment issues for the same reason.

The reminder usually worked, but tonight his attitude was grating on her nerves. That wasn't Rusty's fault. It had been a long week, with another grueling case, and despite the full night's sleep that she got the previous evening, after closing their case, Sharon was still feeling the tension that the case had created. Tonight was meant to be simple. Just a quiet evening in with her two favorite guys, her son and her… well, she hadn't quite come up with a word for what Andy was to her now. She felt too old to be using the word _boyfriend_ but they weren't lovers yet. Sharon pushed those thoughts aside and focused on her son again.

She kept her voice low and her tone soft so that Andy wouldn't hear them talking about him. "I invited Andy to dinner, Rusty, and then _you_ insisted that you could help me in the kitchen. Besides," she shrugged at him. "I like baseball." The suggestion to put the game on had been hers. She wanted him to relax and feel comfortable. Sadly, he was as aware of Rusty's sudden disapproval of them as she was. It was making him nervous, and _that_ was making _her_ nervous.

Rusty made a face at her as she poured glaze over steamed vegetables. His eyes swept the kitchen. There was a brown rice pilaf, and a tossed salad in light vinaigrette. There was no meat in sight, and Rusty knew exactly why that was. The _boyfriend_ didn't eat it. Rusty shook his head at her. This wasn't the first time that she made a dinner that Flynn was invited to in the last year, but she seemed to be going to such extra lengths to meet his preferences now. It was a little ridiculous. Why did people do that when they started dating someone?

"Sharon," Rusty moved the plates to the bar and then sighed. "You like _going_ to baseball games," he pointed out quietly. "You hate watching it on television. It's boring, remember? And what is with dinner tonight. Are we making a life change that you haven't told me about?"

She risked a look into the living room as she turned to face him. Andy was seated on the sofa again. He was fully engrossed in the game. She watched him push his hand into his hair as his frustration grew and felt like laughing quietly. Instead she focused on Rusty and pressed her lips into a thin line. "Just once," she said quietly, "I am going to remind you that when we have a guest there are certain behaviors that I expect to see, and others, that you are going to leave in your room. Yes, watching baseball on television _alone_ is boring," she pointed out. "Watching it with someone else who happens to appreciate it can be very enjoyable. As to dinner," she folded her arms across her chest. "I know that it is going to come as a surprise to you, Russell, but this actually happens to be _my_ preference. It is in direct response to things that I never want to see again, as well as the fact that I have been eating a lot of processed take-out meals this week that have been heavy on greasy meat. Is there anything else that you would like to complain about, or may we continue?"

Rusty looked duly chastised as his shoulders hunched. Her pursed lips and arched brows were a clear indication that he was treading on thin ice, even if she was keeping her tone pleasant. He guessed that he was kind of being a brat. There was just something about having Flynn there, like, _all the time now_ that bothered him for some reason. Rusty didn't understand why. It wasn't as if he wasn't always there before. It was just different now, and in a way that he couldn't really put his finger on. Maybe because before it was just amusing to tease Sharon about how much time she was spending with him, but now that she was acknowledging it too… His mind was going places that he didn't want it to go and honestly, that just sounded all kinds of awful. He was being completely selfish, but he couldn't seem to stop these things that he was feeling.

"No," Rusty said quietly. "Sorry," he added and picked up the plates. He carried them around the bar and began to silently set the table.

Sharon watched for a moment. She saw his thoughts turn inward and nodded once. Sharon took a thin, cleansing breath and turned back to the stove. Next time, she decided, they would have dinner elsewhere. She would give Rusty more time to get used to this situation, but it had best be fast, she added. What was it, she wondered, about her life choices that made her sons want to act like immature children? She chose to push it out of her mind, at least for tonight, and enjoy herself.

She carried the dishes around and set them in the center of the table before walking into the living room. They had just a few more minutes before they would settle in to eat. She pulled her hair over her shoulder and sank onto the sofa beside the man who was staring so intently at the television. Her hand slid down his arm in a simple caress before she tilted her head at him. "How are they doing?"

Andy shook his head. "Not that great, but they just tied it up." He glanced at her and then toward the table. She was tense and it wasn't hard to guess why. "Everything okay?"

The quiet, rumbling tone made her smile. Sharon sighed quietly. So he had witnessed all of that? Of course he had. He wasn't oblivious, nor was he stupid. "It is," she told him. She flashed a warm smile at him and let her hand settle against his arm. "Growing pains," she said, "that's all."

He studied her closely. Andy's brows drew together. He glanced at Rusty again before shaking his head. He leaned back on the sofa with a soft sigh. "We don't have to do this tonight," he said, and kept his voice low. He heard, rather than saw, the kid go back into the kitchen. "Sharon, I can go, it's not a problem." For some reason Rusty had a problem with them being together, and he didn't know why that was. He and the kid were getting along just fine, until he and Sharon actually started dating. That was the only thing that he could think of that had changed. Now, all of a sudden, Rusty had a problem with him and he got it. Andy figured that he would have a problem with him too, if he were Rusty.

"No." She wrapped her hand around his wrist and let her fingers slide beneath the gold chain that he was wearing. "Absolutely not." As if to punctuate that decision, Sharon drew her legs up and curled them beneath her. She settled her knees against his thigh and leaned against his side. "If you really want to leave," she said, "then you can. Andy, if you are offering to leave because you think that I want you to, then you couldn't be more wrong. As to Rusty," she shrugged at him, "he will get over it." She smiled at him. "He's a nineteen-year-old boy, this is… not completely unexpected."

His hand covered one of her denim-clad knees. She was comfortable and casual in a pair of jeans and a fitted blouse. She looked good in anything, but the bold colors, he really liked her in those. He was especially fond of red, but the blue that she was wearing tonight was another good color on her. Both of her arms were wrapped around his, but he pulled her close, until her knees were lying against his lap and let his hand slide down from her knee to stroke her calf. "Okay," he said simply. Andy was tempted to kiss her, especially with the way she pursed her lips and rolled her eyes at him before turning her attention to the game. That might have been pushing it, he decided, if the kid was in a mood. Later, he decided, when the kid wasn't around.

Sharon hummed quietly and laid her chin against the top of his shoulder. Her attention was on the game now. They were moving into the bottom of the ninth inning. It was still tied and could very well move into extra innings. She would give it a few more minutes and then herd him toward the table. For the moment she enjoyed just being close to him. Her fingers alternated between toying with the chain of his bracelet and stroking the inside of his wrist. She watched the game with him, and it was as she told Rusty. It was not quite so boring watching it with someone else who appreciated it. Sharon was preparing to get up and call everyone in to dinner when the end of the game came. In spectacular fashion the Dodgers lost. She turned her face into his shoulder with a low groan as the Rangers' Robinson Chirinos hit a walk-off home run right into left field. The ball was gone and it was over.

His head fell back. He looked at the ceiling and growled quietly. Sharon laughed. "I'm sorry, honey." She couldn't even tell him that it had been a good game. That would be a lie. Their team had played abysmally both nights of the series. There were still two games left, however, and they could at least tie up the series if not win it. "If it makes you feel better, they're at home the next two nights. They play better at home."

"Yeah." His head rolled across the back of the sofa. He looked at her. "It doesn't. We'll see how they do." Andy heaved another sigh. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Now that I'm completely depressed, dinner?"

She laughed again. Sharon laid her hand against his shoulder and rose from the sofa. "Yes. I will feed you now." He could be such a typical guy. She leaned over and lifted the remote. After the television was turned off, she held out a hand. "Come on, we will drown your sorrows in carbs and starch."

"Such a perfect woman." Andy hefted himself up as she pulled on his hand and grinned when she rolled her eyes at him. He pulled her to him. The simplicity of being able to hold her, to just drape his arm around her shoulders like he was now, he didn't think that would ever get old. It was such a small thing, and after a year of dancing around this, it should have felt like a big step for them, but it didn't. It just felt _good_. Andy turned his face into her hair and let his lips brush her ear. "Not entirely a line," he murmured.

Her hand slid up his back. Sharon leaned into him while her smile softened. Her hand stroked between his shoulder blades and as they reached the table, she pulled away from him. She watched Rusty carry in three glasses and the water pitcher. She smiled brightly at him. Whatever his mood, he seemed to have pushed it aside and he was no longer sulking. "Thank you, Rusty, for setting the table."

"You're welcome." He didn't pay attention to how closely they were pressed together, or how much they touched each other now. Honestly, Rusty didn't want to think about it. Aside from the fact that it was just _weird_ it was also kind of _gross_. Why couldn't they just go to a movie and say good night at the door like they always did? Weren't they too old for this? Rusty kept all of that to himself, however, and took his usual seat at the table. "Dinner looks really good," he said, by way of offering an olive branch. When he took a minute to recall the details of the case they worked this week, he realized why there wasn't any meat with dinner and felt like a jerk for bringing it up. He hadn't wanted any meat either after thinking about it.

As dinner progressed Sharon was able to relax. Rusty became more like his usual self when the Lieutenant was with them. Sharon let the conversation drift toward Rusty's story about Alice. She was very aware that finding out more about that young girl was something that Andy was particularly passionate about too. All of them had been affected by the case, but she knew that he was especially touched by it.

Sharon also acknowledged, at least to herself, that she might have nudged the conversation in that direction to get the two of them talking. At least while they were discussing something that they both agreed whole-heartedly on, Rusty wasn't thinking about _why_ Andy was there, and Andy wasn't worried about Rusty's opinion on the subject of _them_.

Afterward Andy stood when Rusty began clearing plates. "I've got it kid. Didn't you want to go and do some more research?" He picked up his plate and Sharon's and moved into the kitchen with them.

"Yeah, but..." Rusty shot a distrustful look at his back and then at the table. It was usually his chore to clean up after dinner, but was the Lieutenant trying to get rid of him?

Sharon watched him frown and sighed. She stood and lifted their glasses to carry into the kitchen. Anyone else might think it odd that he was suddenly so wary of a man who spent the last year having the occasional meal in their home. They had not only spent their time together going _out_ to eat. He had also cooked for her in his home a number of times. Wasn't that the entire point of her son's claim prior to Christmas that they were already dating? Rather than allowing herself to become frustrated with him, as she was want to do, Sharon reminded herself, again, of Rusty's past and where his issues stemmed from as she joined them in the small kitchen.

"Rusty, by now I think we know better than to argue with Andy when he's in a mood to clean." She looked at her son and rolled her eyes. It was her way of reminding him that this was nothing new. How many times had she and Andy _discussed_ that he didn't need to help clean up after a shared meal? Good grief, how many times had they had that same discussion in Andy's kitchen because _she_ was attempting to help clean up after a meal? "You did mention wanting to go out after dinner," Sharon continued, and added a warm smile, "I would take advantage of him if I were you." She wondered if her boy knew just how easy to read he was. They were not trying to get rid of him, but she could understand his concerns. Someday, she thought, he would trust that. She would only have to be patient, and hope that Andy could be as well.

"I guess..." Rusty carried the two dishes in his hand to the bar and placed them on it. "I _did_ want to go and talk to a couple of people..." He knew where they would be hanging out, and that he would only be able to speak to them during the evening hours. He glanced back toward the table before looking at Sharon again. "Are you sure?"

"Are you kidding?" Andy shook his head as he walked past to finish clearing the table. "Have you met her?" He made a big show of looking at his watch. "If you're out too late she's going to have a fit. You should go on, we can take care of this."

Sharon's jaw dropped open. Her eyes narrowed at Andy, although they were sparkling happily. "I do not have _fits_." She lifted her chin at them. "I have appropriate responses to a certain level of awareness of what goes on in this city after a specific time in the evening. I don't believe that there is anything wrong with knowing how late my son is going to be out, or in which part of the city he is going to be spending his time."

Her hands went to her hips, but Andy just turned. He fixed Rusty with a look and held his arms out as if to ask, _see what I mean?_ He kept telling himself that if he treated the boy no differently than he always did, then the kid would get over whatever was bothering him about his and Sharon's relationship changing. "Yeah, and if you're not home by midnight, how many times is she going to text you?"

Rusty snorted a quiet laugh. If nothing else, the Lieutenant was right about Sharon. She did worry about him, _a lot_ , but he supposed that he understood why that was. Rusty shook his head at them. "Okay, I'm going. I will try to not be out too late," he said. "But I will text you if it's taking longer than I expect." He left the kitchen and walked toward the hall. Rusty stopped halfway and turned back, "Um, should I like, make sure that I'm _not_ back before a certain time?" He looked between the two of them and then finally let his gaze settle on Sharon. He felt like it was an important question to ask. He didn't want to walk in on anything especially gross happening later.

She blinked at him a couple of times. It took her a moment to realize what he was asking. When Andy turned away and busied himself at the sink with a cough, she felt her jaw drop. Her cheeks flushed with warmth and she was sure they were turning a deep shade of red. Typically she was not the blushing type, but that particular question coming out of her son, along with his very pointed look, was the last thing that she ever expected. Sharon forced her mouth closed and slowly shook her head. She folded her arms across her chest and shifted where she stood. Her lips pursed while she thought of a response that wouldn't further embarrass her. Rusty seemed entirely non-plussed by her reaction. Sharon was also fairly certain that what she was hearing behind her was laughter, of the badly stifled and choked variety.

"That is a very fair question," she began carefully, and found herself shifting her weight on her feet again. Sharon wouldn't call it fidgeting, but when she heard Andy snort quietly, she realized that was exactly what she was doing. She forced herself to stand still and cleared her throat. "I don't believe that it's anything you're going to have to worry about," she said, in a light but measured tone. She felt a surge of triumph when the laughter behind her stopped. "You should come home when you're ready to, but if you're going to be late, please let me know."

"Sure." Rusty didn't know if he believed her, but he would take her word for it. Didn't she think that he knew what _dating_ entailed? He didn't want to dwell on it too closely, though, so Rusty took that as his cue to get out of there. He turned away from them and made his way down the hall to get his stuff.

Sharon said nothing. She knew that it would only take him a minute to gather what he needed. She continued clearing off the table instead and dutifully ignored looking anywhere near Andy. It took exactly five minutes for Rusty to reappear and call out a goodbye. It was not until the front door had closed that she turned where she stood. She picked up a dishtowel and threw it at Andy's back. "It was _not_ funny!"

"Yeah." Andy looked over at her. He was rinsing dishes before placing them in the dishwasher. "It was." He grinned crookedly; her cheeks were still a light shade of red. "He made _you_ blush, it was worth it." They hadn't discussed taking _that_ step yet, so Rusty's assumptions about them were pretty amusing. Andy shook his head and reached for her. His hand curled around her wrist and he tugged her over to stand beside him. "Come on, weren't you the one who said earlier that he's a nineteen-year-old boy? Trust me when I tell you, at that age, there's just one thing that he's going to think about when he hears the word _date_. What were you thinking about at nineteen?"

She rolled her eyes at him. Sharon nudged him aside. She pushed the sleeves of her blouse up and took over at the sink. "At nineteen, I was thinking about school, actually." She smiled when she heard him grunt at her. "No, really. I was focusing most of my time on school so that I wouldn't have time to listen to my mother's attempts at talking me into getting married and having babies." Sharon shrugged. "As far back as I can remember, that is the only thing that I can ever remember my parents truly disagreeing on." She looked up at him and hummed. "My mother was very fond of Jack."

"Really?" Andy took the plate that she handed him and placed it in the dishwasher. He tilted his head at her and leaned his hip against the counter. She had mentioned before that she had known Jack while she was in college, but she was never very specific in the details. They always changed the subject. It wasn't that he didn't like hearing it; she just seemed uncomfortable talking about it. That was, of course, while the divorce was ongoing. He could understand that her memories of those early days would have been raw. "I didn't realize that you had known him that long," he prompted, his way of letting her know that it was okay to talk about it. They had, after all, discussed his relationship with Vicki a time or two. She knew quite a bit about his past, his marriage, and the mistakes that he had made thanks to all of the times that she had so graciously played buffer for him. That, coupled with the amount of time they spent together, it really was no wonder that their children had already thought that they were dating.

Sharon glanced at him before she nodded. She hadn't meant to bring up the past, but it was a part of her. He had mentioned a specific time in her life, one that should have been carefree, and she supposed in a way it was. When she thought about all of the things that young adults that age had to think about now, she supposed that she was lucky that her issues at the time were so simple. Although, back then, it certainly had not felt that way. Sharon's head inclined. A smile tugged her lips upward. She hummed again, this time thoughtfully. "I am a walking cliché," she told him. Sharon looked up at him again, this time as she handed him a glass and watched his brows lift in question. "Jack and I practically grew up together. His parents and mine were friends." She rolled her eyes again. "Of course, by that I mean, it was a very small town. We belonged to the same church, our mothers were part of the same social circle so there were garden parties and fund raisers." She waved a hand and wrinkled her nose. "Our fathers liked to compete against one another. It didn't matter what it was. They were lawyers. Mine was a prosecutor, and later a judge, and Davis was a defense attorney. If they weren't competing in the professional arena, then it was on the golf course, or at tennis, or…" She waved her hand again and this time added another eye roll. "You get the picture."

"I think so." He knew the type. His family all came from working class roots, but he'd gone to school with the upper middle class families that engaged in those kinds of activities. The children had all socialized together, inside and outside of school. He had even once dated a girl whose father was a doctor. He could remember her talking about tea parties and social events that her mother insisted on dragging her to when she would rather be with him or her girlfriends. It wasn't much of a stretch for Andy to picture Sharon in that situation. She was exactly that girl. It made him wonder, and not for the first time, what the hell she was doing with him. "It explains a lot." Like why she was always so willing to feel sorry for Jack, when she should have put him on the road years ago.

"Yes," she agreed quietly. "I suppose it does." Sharon handed him the last glass and then started on the pots and pans that would not go into the dishwasher. She smiled when he closed it and reached for a towel, his silent way of offering to dry since she wasn't moving from the sink. "Jack and I started dating in high school. After we graduated my mother started hinting that we should get married. My father was more than happy to send me away to college, actually, I think he would have been even more pleased to send me away to a convent." She laughed. "Although Linda got the same treatment, he was just that way with both of us," she said of her sister.

"Smart guy." Andy grinned. "Hey, if I'd had the opportunity, that's where Nicole would have ended up. I'm a huge fan of the idea." He toyed with the towel in his hand while she worked on washing the first of the pans. "It's a dad thing, just roll with it."

Sharon snorted at him, but she was smiling. "Yes, well, be glad that I didn't roll with it then," she teased. "I went to Berkeley instead. Drove my father nuts that Jack was there too, and that we were away from home. Together." She laughed. "My mother loved the idea. What she didn't like was that I was so much my father's daughter. I was focused on school and little else. By the time that Jack did finally propose she was a nervous wreck. Imagine her response when I went to work after we were married instead of settling down at home to host the garden parties and have the babies that she so _desperately_ thought that I needed."

With everything that he knew about her, Andy was trying to imagine Sharon in that setting as a woman rather than a girl. He started laughing and almost dropped the pan she handed him. "She must've been beside herself when you finally got pregnant with Emily."

"Oh my god, yes." Sharon leaned against the edge of the sink and laughed. "The look on her face when I told her that I was going to keep working. You have to understand, my mother never worked a day in her life, and she was blessed not to have had to. It was the life that she and my father wanted, and that was great for them, but it was a different time. I had other aspirations. They raised me to be a thinker, my mother just never imagined that I would actually _use_ it." Sharon shook her head. "It took her a long time to come to terms with the fact that neither of her daughters wanted the life that she had. It just wasn't for us. Linda wanted to be a doctor, and that was a dream that she was able to pursue. She's been very successful." Sharon was especially proud of her. "To be honest, it wasn't until later that mother realized how smart it was that I didn't listen to her. After Jack left…" She shrugged. He knew that history. "I was able to support us. I didn't need my parents' help, although they offered it a number of times." She handed him another pan and smiled. "So no, at nineteen I was not thinking about _that_. I was too busy thinking about getting into law school and what kind of attorney that I wanted to be." She dried her hands, while her lips curved into a teasing smirk. "Thinking about _that_ just got me into trouble."

Andy laughed as she turned away from him, moving away from the sink now that the last of the dishes were washed. He finished drying the pan and placed it back in the cupboard, with the others. He folded the towel and placed it on the edge of the sink before following her. "I don't know," he offered a cocky grin, "you might like that kind of trouble now."

"Hm." She arched a brow at him. Sharon folded her lips together to keep from smiling. What was left of dinner had already been scooped into storage bowls. She placed the lid on the last one and put it in the refrigerator. "I don't know about that," she drawled in a teasing tone. "I'm a rule follower."

"No!" Andy made sure to look suitably shocked by that. "Not you." His dark eyes sparkled as he moved closer to her. It wasn't a very large kitchen. He was able to reach her in a couple of steps. His hands fell to her hips as he backed her into the front of the fridge. "There are some kinds of trouble," he said, voice dipping toward a low rumble, "that are worth getting into."

Tiny thrills of excitement danced in her stomach. She felt a shiver of anticipation run down her spine. "Really?" If her voice had taken on a throaty quality, she pretended not to notice. "Can I assume that you intend to tell me exactly what those—"

He didn't let her finish the question. His head bent and his lips covered hers. His hands moved slowly up her sides as he teased her lips open. He pulled her closer while his mouth angled over hers, finally kissing her in the way that he had wanted to since stepping through the door earlier. Waiting was no hardship; he had already decided some time ago that he would wait for her as long as he needed. Waiting an hour or so was a drop in the bucket compared to the months that they had spent caught between the simplicity of friendship and the connection that they shared now.

His nose nuzzled her cheek. He nipped playfully at her lips and finally let his mouth trail a string of kisses along her jaw to her ear. "If it's trouble," he rumbled quietly, "then you're only the best kind."

She hummed as her tongue swept across her lips. She could still taste him. Her hands moved up his arms to settle at his shoulders. "Hm." One of her hands cupped the back of his neck. Her fingers curled into his hair, to tease the short, silver hair at his collar. Her eyes closed as his lips moved down the side of her neck. When his teeth nipped gently, teasingly at her pulse point, her breath caught in her throat. "Maybe I like trouble," she told him.

"Finally," he muttered, "she admits it." He pushed her collar aside as his hand moved in to her hair to tip her head back. His lips moved along the column of her throat. When she tugged at his head, he let himself be guided back to her mouth, at least for the moment. He reached up and curled his hands around her thin wrists. Andy drew her arms up and pressed them against the door of the refrigerator. He turned her hands toward the top edge of the door until she was gripping it. He sucked her bottom lip into his mouth and let his hands slide slowly downward. His thumbs skirted the sides of her breasts; his hands settled against her sides, at the top of her rib cage. He traced the edge of her bra, teasing her, even as he kissed the tip of her chin, and the underside of her jaw. His mouth moved back to her neck and started its downward trail again.

She arched her neck for him and moaned quietly when he nosed aside the collar of her shirt to let his tongue trace the length of her collarbone. "Andy." His name was a quiet breath on her lips. Her hands fell, once again, to his shoulders. She leaned into him, and let her arms curl around his neck. While her body pressed along the length of his, she sought his lips for another long, slow kiss.

How long they stood in the kitchen, he couldn't say. Andy lost himself in the taste and feel of her, and the steady slide into rising heat and desire. When his fingers itched to slide beneath her shirt and explore the soft expanse of bare skin above the waist of jeans, he turned his face into her hair and drew a deep breath. His hands moved up her back instead, but he was keenly aware of the soft press of her breasts against his chest. "I should go."

She nodded silently. Her hands were at his sides, curled into his shirt. She turned her face into his neck, but the spicy sent of his aftershave was doing little quench the fire that was moving through her. She exhaled quietly. Her tongue traced her lips, and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth as she concentrated on slowing her breathing. "Or you could stay for coffee," she suggested, knowing full well that if he did stay, coffee was the last thing that either of them would be having.

He groaned at the breathy, rasping sound of her voice. He leaned back and tipped her chin up. Andy looked into her heavily lidded eyes, watched her tongue trace the slightly swollen lips again. His head bent and he pressed a kiss to the corner of her mouth. "I don't want coffee," he said thickly.

"No." A smile curved her lips upward. "Neither do I." She placed a hand against his chest and pushed him back. Sharon took a step toward him and let her hand slide down to wrap around his wrist. She gave it a tug as she moved out of the kitchen and glanced back to offer a warm and sultry smile. She said nothing else as she led the way down the hall.

When Rusty got home some hours later the condo was quiet. A single lamp remained on. It was dimmed and just barely enough to light his way from the door to the hall. Rusty didn't know what he really expected to find when he got home. His reason for being out had been wrapped up an hour before, but he had taken his time in getting back. He driven around the city and then even after parking in the garage, he had gone for a walk.

He honestly wasn't trying to be a jerk about it, but there were just some things that he didn't need to know, and others that he truly didn't need to see or be part of. He was pretty sure that he wouldn't want Sharon getting involved in his relationship, if he had one, and so he was trying to stay out of hers. There was also the fact that the whole thing just made him so many levels of nervous. He couldn't explain why, Sharon was nothing like his other mother. He didn't expect to come home and find that he had been locked out, and most of all, he knew that he didn't have to worry about who was moving around the apartment in the middle of the night and if he should stay awake all night, just in case.

Knowing that, however, didn't stop his stomach from clenching painfully when, after his eyes adjusted to the dim light inside the condo, he spotted an all too familiar jacket thrown over the back of the sofa. It was still laying where the Lieutenant had left it earlier in the evening.

Rusty stared at it for a moment. He fidgeted with his phone and his keys and shifted his weight from one foot to the other. He cast a wary look at the hall and sighed. He didn't have to be concerned about going to his room, but that didn't stop the irrational anger that swept through him, or the voice in the back of his head that whispered stubbornly, _she lied to me_. Rusty shook his head and turned away from the couch and the jacket. He walked quietly, if a bit haltingly, down the hall. Sharon's door was closed, but then it usually was at this time of night.

He didn't linger over it too much. He could see no light under her door, and that was just fine by him. He didn't need to know _anything_ really. Once he was past her door, he hurried to his own room. It was habit that had him locking it after it was closed. Rusty stood there for a moment before he reached out and unlocked it again. He sighed as he moved into his room and dropped his things onto a chair in the corner of the room. Rusty pushed a hand into his hair. It was his own fault, he decided. He should never have said anything. If he hadn't, he had a pretty good idea that none of this would be happening. Or would it? He shook his head and fell, face-first, onto his bed. Why did she have to start dating?

The sound of a door closing startled Sharon out of her slumber. She started to sit up, but realized that there was a weight holding her down. When it tightened around her waist she smiled. That weight was attached to the warmth that was pressed against her back. She closed her eyes again and placed a hand against the arm that was holding her. She let her fingers slide down to wrap around his hand. The press of lips against her shoulder made her hum quietly. "He's home," she murmured. They hadn't meant to fall asleep, but she wasn't going to worry about it now. They were both much too old for her to go chasing him out of the apartment in the middle of the night.

"I heard." His voice was thick, but quiet in the dark room. He pressed a kiss against her neck and settled against her again. "Stop thinking and go back to sleep."

It was a very enticing thought, and one that she would have liked to entertain. The longer she lay there, however, the louder her thoughts became. She had promised Rusty that he wouldn't have to walk into anything, and while that was still true, and her personal relationships were none of his business, she didn't think that either of them were ready for him to run into Andy during the night or at some point in the early morning hours. Sharon sighed softly. She gave his hand a squeeze and then she rolled to lie facing him. She traced her finger down the bridge of his nose and then tipped her face toward him to kiss his bottom lip. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

He cracked an eye open to look at her. The only light in the room was that from the window. He could only just make out the shape of her face, but he could tell that she was chewing on her bottom lip. Andy shook his head. He lifted a hand and pushed her hair away from her face. His fingers traced the curve of her cheek. "It's okay." He kissed the tip of her nose, and then pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "Next time, we'll do dinner at my place," he suggested with a smile, and hoped she wouldn't feel the need to rush home before Rusty realized that she had been out all night.

"Yes." She had already considered that. Sharon pushed him onto his back and scooted over to lie against his chest, just for a moment longer. She curled her leg around his and draped her arm across his middle. "It isn't you," she said quietly, keeping her voice low. "I hope you know that. It's…" She shrugged a single shoulder and exhaled quietly. "I know it sounds trite, but it's me, or rather, the perception of me that his past is giving him right now."

"Sharon, I know that." His arm curled around her. His hand moved into her hair. His fingers combed through the thick locks. "Listen, sweetheart, I get it. The kid has issues, and they don't have a whole lot to do with either of us. He thought that he was prepared for this, but you were right earlier. He _is_ just a _kid_ and whatever he thought was going on with us before, this is new."

New enough for both of them to still have a few doubts, she thought. Sharon also thought that she heard a note of worry in his tone. She lifted her head and rested it in her hand. She laid her other hand against his chest and smiled gently down at him. "I only think that he needs a little time to get used to it. At least, that's all that I plan to give him. Sooner or later Rusty is going to have to come to the conclusion that this situation is not like the one that he was in before. I understand what he is feeling, and why he would be unsettled, but…" Sharon shrugged again. "This isn't that, and while I can make some concessions to help ease him along, Rusty is also an adult now. He is going to learn to accept this for what it is."

"Yeah." He reached up and wound a lock of her hair around his finger. His thumb traced the curve of her cheek. She sounded so sure, and yet everything that she had done the last few years had been for Rusty. That was just as it should be; on that they were completely agreed. Their kids came first, and that would never change, but she had a point. There came a time when they got to live their own lives, just the two of them. His thumb swept across her bottom lip. "What exactly is this?" They hadn't defined it, and he was okay with that.

"I don't know." She leaned down and let her lips linger against his in a soft kiss. "But I really want to find out," she said. She felt a great many things for him that she had yet to decipher, but she was rather enjoying untangling those emotions while getting to know him like this.

He threaded his hand into her hair and cupped the back of her head. He held her in place while the kiss deepened. He drew her closer, until she was draped across his body. "Me too," he muttered. Andy gathered her close and wrapped his arms around her, holding her while he could. He turned his face into her neck, and let his lips brush her ear. "The kid will figure it out, he usually does. It will take how long it takes. I said that I would wait. I meant it."

When he started to get up, to do exactly as she had asked, Sharon pressed him back again. She leaned over him, stretching her body until she was able to reach the clock on the table beside him. She ran her alarm back, just another hour. That, she decided, should give them plenty of time to avoid any awkward run-ins outside the walls of her bedroom. "You're right," she said, "he will." She smiled as she curled against his side again. "But maybe I don't have to concede an entire night."

It would make for an early morning, and a very long day. That extra hour would give him enough time to drive home and get ready for work, but little else. He grinned as he rolled back onto his side. He wrapped his arm around her again. "You sure?" He was willing to leave if that was what she needed from him. But if staying meant losing a couple of hours of sleep, he could definitely do that too.

"Very." She moved again and reclaimed her earlier position. She leaned back until her back was resting against his chest and pulled his arm more firmly around her. "Having you leave now or in a couple of hours from now gains the same result, as long as you're gone before Rusty is awake. As much as he doesn't want to know everything, _I_ don't want him to know either. I may be mindful of his concerns, but this is none of his business."

It was the difference between respect and surrender. He kissed her shoulder again. Whens he curled her legs back to tangle with his, he smiled. He was used to sleeping alone, but this was something he could really get used to. "Then stop thinking," He repeated, "and go back to sleep."

She hummed. That was exactly her intention. Rusty had wanted to live his life on his own terms. That had meant letting go of him, just a little, so that he could find his own way. She would always be here for him, but it was time for him to let go of her too, just a little, so that she could have a life that was not entirely built around him, or his needs. She had called it growing pains earlier in the evening. As Sharon drifted back to sleep, she realized that was exactly what it was. For all of them.

They would find their way; it would just be a matter of being patient.

 **-TBC-**


	2. Chapter 2

**Growing Pains**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** It isn't my sandbox, but I do enjoy it so!

* * *

 **Chapter 2 – Ricky**

It was a rare, lazy, rainy afternoon. They saw so few of those in Southern California, and when the moment presented itself to be enjoyed, it was grasped eagerly.

The summer storm brought rain that was a relief to the city and surrounding areas, but it had changed their plans for the afternoon. They had meant to take advantage of the truncated workday and go to a game, just the two of them, where they could spend an afternoon away from all of the things that were trying to tug them apart.

Working together was becoming an interesting obstacle to traverse; they were finding that it was not always as easy to turn off how they responded or related to one another outside of the office. There had been a few interesting slip-ups in the few weeks since they had moved their relationship to its new level, but rather than becoming frustrated with it, Sharon and Andy had chosen to enjoy the learning curve that they were on. Dating a coworker was not something that either of them had done before, and so they had expected that there would be a few missteps along the way. All that they could do was their best to not let it affect them, professionally or personally.

Her name on his lips wasn't the only action that they were trying to avoid, although that seemed to happen when he was especially frustrated, particularly with her. A well-placed glare usually reminded him of where he was, and he had the good sense to be contrite each time that it happened. Andy wasn't the only one finding it difficult to stay inside the boundaries that they had drawn. Sharon was a tactile person; a hand on his shoulder, or a brief touch to his arm to gain his attention was nothing new. She did that with all of them.

Leaning against his chair, and letting her hip settle against his shoulder while her hand rested on his shoulder as she listened to him explain some fact or another, or while she read what was displayed for her on his computer screen, that was another matter. He caught her at it more than once, and it was always clear that she was too engrossed in the moment to realize what she was doing in how her fingers would slide up to caress the back of his neck. He would arch his brow at her and stare until she realized what she was doing, and once he had nudged her with his elbow until she stepped back. In those moments it was just too amusing to watch her become just a little flustered as she glanced around to make sure that no one had noticed for him to really be frustrated with her.

His protective streak was another matter that they were trying to overcome, and he was reining that in, but it was hard to completely ignore it when he knew, only too well, how dangerous that their jobs could be. She could handle herself, more than if he was honest about it, but the urge was there. It was enough to have earned him more than one heated glare. All of which he had returned because while he may _want_ to try and protect her, he wasn't dumb enough to actually _try_ it.

It was all a matter of discovery, however. They were learning their limits and how far that they could push them. It was a transition period that they expected; even if they hadn't exactly known how it would manifest in their everyday working life. The real struggle had come from the people in their lives.

Rusty was still not comfortable with them. He wasn't being overt about it, but the wary looks were still there, and Sharon knew that he was finding excuses not to come home until late in the evening. He also looked just a little too relieved each morning when he found only Sharon present in the kitchen. Sharon was biding her time. She was letting him get used to the situation, and as long as he remembered to be polite she was letting him have his own adjustment period. She was mindful of him, though, and wasn't flaunting the relationship in front of him. Having Andy over was habit from the many very long months of their friendship, and so that continued. He didn't stay over every time that he visited, and when he did, they kept it under the radar of Rusty's presence.

Her son was wise enough to keep his opinion of them _out_ of the Police Administration Building. When he was in the Murder Room he pretended as if nothing at all had changed. Sharon was grateful to him for that, and as long as he could be discreet, she would continue to be also. Rusty was not their working issue, however.

That had come in the form of Lieutenant Provenza who was, irritatingly, observant enough to have realized when the change in their relationship had come. His disapproving looks followed them each time they stepped into her office together, or moved away to conduct an interview. If she announced that they were headed to the morgue, he would glower darkly in their direction. It was on the tip of Sharon's tongue to ask the man if he really expected them to be going at it like a pair of mindless, sex-crazed teenagers the minute they were out of sight of everyone. She managed to refrain, but only just barely. The one time she had opened her mouth to do just that, Andy seemed to have caught on. He practically shoved his partner out of her office and did both of them a favor by trying to stay away from her for the rest of the day. In hindsight, that one was on her. She shouldn't have let his usual antics get to her, but she decided to pass it off as having a rather foul day and resolved to ignore him better.

According to Andy, his partner was just waiting for it all to blow up in their faces. That was something that they were working very hard to not let happen. The potential was there; they weren't blind enough to have not acknowledged that. It was complicated, working together all day and then spending their evenings together too. If anyone was aware of that fact, it was them. They were the ones living it, after all.

The rest of their team was more discreet in their speculations. Sharon didn't really mind that, as long as they kept it out of the office, and remained respectful. It was only a matter of time, and just a fact of human nature that they would question the situation. All that she could do was continue to make sure that the relationship stayed on the personal level and remain cognizant of her surroundings when the two of them were together in the office. Soon, the novelty of it would wear off. Old habits would reassert themselves, and they would find their way.

That didn't stop her from wanting to reach for her beanbag gun every time she had to deal with a knowing look or smirk from the direction of Assistant Chief Taylor. Reporting the relationship was a necessity; otherwise she would have gladly kept it away from that particularly arrogant gossipmonger. What she could not determine was if he was just being a jerk, a condition that he was very prone to, or if he was waiting for them to make a mistake that he could pounce on. Those two situations were not exactly separate of one another, it was also just as likely that he was an idiot looking for the next great thing to spread all over the building. The man was a bigger gossip than an old lady in a beauty salon.

Keeping her frustration level with him down was difficult. It was becoming increasingly hard not to speak to him like the idiot that she was truly beginning to believe that he was. More than once she heard the sarcasm seep into her tone, but she had honesty and facts on her side and did not pull many punches in addressing him as he had earned in those moments. A couple of times, however, Andy had specifically pulled her aside at the first opportunity and reminded her that she was walking a thin line. Taylor was a jackass, but he was the jackass in charge.

Their first argument was in direct relation to that subject.

She sent him back to work with a glare and a reminder that she could handle Taylor, but her irritation with him had festered throughout the day. Had they not already had that discussion? She did not need him looking out for her, and especially not at work. Certainly not where the likes of Taylor were concerned. She had been dealing with that man just as long as Andy had, and Sharon knew just exactly how far she could push. She knew, better than anyone, how much leeway she had, and when she should rein it in. She didn't need a resident hothead who was known to have a mouth full of sarcasm to remind her of that.

They hadn't had plans that evening, but Sharon had followed him home after work. Thinking back, she was rather proud of herself for saving it until they were out of the office. That hadn't stopped her from laying into him the minute that they were alone. For just a moment, however, as he stared at her while she railed at him, she worried that this relationship – whatever it was – just wasn't going to work. Then he had pointed at her and tossed all of her frustration back at her in spades. They hadn't yelled, and they hadn't screamed. There had been no name-calling, but the fury with which they had approached the moment was clear and concise, and they had both been singed by it.

She couldn't ask him to not look out for her. He cared for her, and he was going to do it. At home, or at work, or in the super market, it was just going to happen. He had been doing it for a long time, she just hadn't realized it, or if she had she was only putting it under a microscope _now_ because of how their relationship had changed. She sure as hell couldn't ask him to stop, because she was just as guilty of it as he was. What did she call it when she nudged him out of the office a few minutes early after a particularly hard case so that he could make it to a meeting? How many times had she excused him when their work pushed into the evening hours so that he could make a counseling session with the kids, or slip away to call Nicole and postpone a dinner? And don't think he didn't know that she was the one that had circled the date on his desk calendar to remind him that it was his son's birthday, not because he would forget, but because when he was focused on a case the time slipped by unnoticed.

If she wanted him to stop looking out for her, then she was going to have to stop doing it too, and if that was how they were going to play it, then what the hell was the point? It wasn't like they were being blatant about it. Neither of them was calling the other down in the middle of an interview, or the Murder Room. So what if they were close, they had been close for a while now. That wasn't a big secret. She knew when his temper was pushing the limits of his control and could rein it in with a look or a touch. That wasn't just about being his boss, so what was so wrong with him doing the same thing? They were friends before anything else, and if they couldn't keep being friends, then what were they doing, besides just scratching an itch.

It was a comparison that she hadn't liked much, but she couldn't deny that he was right.

Sharon had never worried about how they related to one another at work until she began to notice how others were seeing them. She allowed those perceptions to color her own. There was nothing wrong with being close to someone. There was a line that they couldn't cross, and they had to be mindful of it, but they had not reached that point yet. They were friends, beneath everything, they were still very good friends and they had gotten to know each other quite well in that context. It had come into play with how they related to one another at work, and when considered in that vein, it allowed them to work quite well together. They could read each other so well; it was a bonus, why shouldn't they use it?

They managed to make it through that first argument with a lot to think about, and the first test of _them_ had come in not allowing any lingering frustrations to follow them in to work the next day. It hadn't, and neither had the evening that they spent making up after the fact. They had made it through their first hurdle, and with the understanding that they could only be who they were, together as well apart.

So on this rare, rainy Friday afternoon, when they were all maxed out on overtime and half of her team was waiting to get their weapons back because a case gone sideways had resulted in shots being fired, Sharon had sent everyone home. They had all worked well into the previous night, when the break in their case had come, and then gone awry. She was only thankful that there had been no loss of life, although their suspect had been shot. He would live, but while he was recovering in the hospital, FID was conducting its investigation of the events leading up to and surrounding the shooting.

There was not a lot that any of them could do while the District Attorney's office was waiting for the FID report to be concluded. Since it was a weekend and since she had three officers benched pending that conclusion, Sharon was taking advantage of the down time. As luck would have it, Andy had not actually been in position to use his weapon. She needn't feel bad about having him join her.

Sharon stood on her terrace after she got home and watched the storm clouds that were building in the distance, the echo of thunder had been heard throughout the city since mid-morning. The looming, dark clouds were moving closer now, and bringing with them the threat of rain. She called Andy while she stood there and changed their plans for the day. It was highly more likely that the game would be delayed, or cancelled. She asked him to come over instead.

He stopped on the way and picked up food at their favorite Italian bistro. He had only just arrived when the bottom fell out of the storm. They had enjoyed the rarity of it, and of knowing that Rusty would not be home until some time that evening. He was spending the day with friends, but had promised Sharon that he would be mindful and careful in the storm.

It was how they had found themselves wrapped in a blanket, leaning back against a pile of pillows in front of the terrace doors with their impromptu picnic laid out on the floor beside them, while they watched the storm rage on outside. She had claimed his dress shirt, the pale lavender was one of her favorites, and she had pulled it on when they had come up for air long enough to eat. Now she had the sleeves rolled up and laughed as she distracted him from sliding it off one shoulder by shoving a piece of bread into his mouth.

That only managed to distract him for a minute. She had only bothered with a couple of the buttons. Andy was able to easily tug it aside and continued leaving a trail of teasing kisses across the pale curve of her shoulder. She was reclining against his chest; he smiled as the blanket fell away to expose the long length of one leg. His hand slid along her thigh, beneath the hem of his shirt, until she was squirming against him.

"I thought," she asked as his other hand splayed across her stomach, "that you said you were hungry?"

"Yep." He smirked as he turned his face into the crook of her neck. His teeth nipped at the soft spot just beneath her ear. Her back arched against him and he laid her sideways. "Starving even."

"That was horribly lame," she decided, but curled her leg around his hip and cupped the back of his head with one hand while his lips continued their path down her throat to tease the sensitive skin above her collarbone. She offered no protest at all when his hands pushed the shirt up around her hips.

Lighting flashed outside and was followed a moment later by a loud rumble of thunder that seemed to swallow the quiet sounds that she was making as he decided that she was far more interesting than their makeshift picnic. It had brought another sound too, seemingly foreign in the otherwise quiet apartment. "What was that?" His mouth moved against hers as he spoke. They had devolved into open-mouthed kisses and gentle caresses. The passion was building far more slowly than it had earlier, but was in no way less enjoyable. It was one of the advantages of age, rather than an effect of it.

"If you don't know by now," she mumbled, laughing when his fingers danced across her ribs in retaliation, "I'm not going to tell you."

"You want to call me lame?" Andy shook his head at her. "Lady, I think we should talk. I'm concerned about your ability to properly define—"

"Oh god." She pushed at him until he rolled onto his back and moved to sit astride him. "The fact that you're still talking right now is the only thing that I'm concerned about." She placed a hand against his chest and leaned down to kiss her way along the strong curve of his jaw. "I came into this with certain expectations of a well known reputation. Don't tell me that I can't believe everything written on the walls of the lady's fourth-floor locker room…"

His eyes narrowed. "Of all the people I expected to make judgments based on the completely baseless claims of one spurned bozo from Narcotics that was not my type, I never thought that it would be you." He wound his arm around her waist and sat up. He flipped them back around and laid her on the floor. Andy leaned over her laughing form; he caught her wrists in his hands. He drew them over her head and pressed them into the rug beneath them. "On the other hand, I think we've already established that you're trouble."

She wrapped her legs around his hips and lifted her head to meet his lips with hers. "Andy, do me a favor," she wriggled enticingly against him, "shut up."

"Yes. Please. God. Shut up." There was a new voice, and this one was coming from the direction of the front door. "While you're at it, do you think that maybe you could both put on some pants?"

Sharon's eyes widened. She jerked away from Andy and managed to bump her head against the floor in the process. Her eyes closed, and while she reached back to rub the spot, she could feel her cheeks beginning to color. "Oh god," she groaned.

"Nope." Andy rolled off of her and pulled the blanket over both of them again. The armchairs were between them and the door, so he didn't honestly think that anything had been _seen_ but it was obvious what they were up to. "But on the bright side, it's not Rusty either." He sat up, but braced his weight on one hand and peered around one of the orange armchairs to look at the young man who was smirking at them from the other side of the sofa. Andy arched a brow at him. "Hey Ricky. I thought you were supposed to be here tomorrow?"

"What?" Sharon sat up beside him. She swept her hair back and combed her fingers through it quickly before tucking it behind her ears. "Wait." She nudged Andy with her shoulder. "You knew that he was going to be here?"

"Tomorrow." Andy pointed out. "I knew that he was going to be here _tomorrow_. He's early."

"Trust me," Ricky snorted, "if I knew that I was on such a tight schedule, I would have called ahead first. That image isn't going away anytime soon." He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and grinned crookedly at them. "It might help if you got dressed, though. Or should I just leave and come back later." His dark eyes were sparkling happily. "I mean, I can even turn around and not look while you guys run down the hall. I can turn on some music and crank it up a few decibels if you're worried about sound; it's not a problem, really. Do not let my being here interrupt your fun."

"Well." Andy's lips pursed. He rolled his eyes heavenward. Sharon had her face hidden in his shoulder. His brows lifted and he shrugged. "At least one of them still likes me. Actually, I think he's my favorite. You know," he cast an amused look at his girlfriend's son, "the keys to my place are in the pocket of my jacket. If you want, you can just head over there and—"

"Oh my god!" Sharon slapped his shoulder. She shoved him away from her and stood up. She clasped his shirt closed with one hand; despite it's still being partially buttoned, and tugged on the hem of it down with her other. "Ricky, not that I am not tremendously happy to see you, but _what_ are you doing _here_?" Another loud rumble of thunder had her eyes flying open. She glanced toward the storm before shooting a worried look at her son. "You didn't fly in this?"

"Of course not!" Ricky waited for her to relax, just a little, and then added with a crooked grin. "I drove."

Her jaw dropped. "In this? Richard William—"

He folded his arms across his chest again. Ricky shook his head at her. "Hey mom, before you get upset about that, can you, maybe, put some clothes on?"

Sharon tugged on the hem of Andy's shirt again. "That might actually be a good idea." Her eyes narrowed. "Don't think that means you are, in any way, off the hook."

"Nope." He smirked. "Wouldn't dream of it."

Andy laughed as he wrapped the blanket around himself and stood. The glare that Sharon shot at him only made him grin crookedly at her. "What? He's not my kid. You have no one to blame for that but yourself, sweetheart."

She lifted her chin at him. "We'll see about that." She gathered as much of her dignity as she could and made her way down the hall.

Ricky watched Andy follow her. His eyes narrowed. "Yeah, that's right buddy, we'll talk later," he drawled. "Withholding information is a serious offense."

"Take that up with your brother," Andy tossed back with a grin. If Ricky was out of the know that wasn't his problem. It wasn't his job to tell Sharon's kids that they were dating. He had his hands full with his own. When he made it to the bedroom, Sharon had already shucked out of his shirt and was wriggling into a pair of jeans. He took a moment to stand near the door and admire that view. When she caught him looking and scowled, he pushed into the room and started gathering his own clothes, which had been scattered around earlier. "What?"

She shook her head at him as she slipped into a bra. "What is he doing here?" She hissed, since both men had made it obvious that they planned this visit together.

"You really don't know?" Andy offered a gentle, but crooked smile as he slipped into his trousers. "Sharon, he came up to surprise you." His brows lifted when she continued to stare blankly at him. "Tomorrow is your birthday."

"My birthday?" Yes, she had known the date was approaching, but she honestly hadn't thought about it beyond being another year older. She shook her head at him. "Wait." Sharon straightened, a sweater held in her hands as she stared at him. "You planned something, with Ricky, for my birthday?"

"Yeah." He shook his head at her. Andy laughed at the surprised look on her face. "I've got a couple of years to start forgetting your birthday," he teased, "I'm not going to do it the first time out of the gate."

That wasn't what had astonished her. Sharon was still staring at him. "You planned this with Ricky? The two of you talked about it together?"

"Yes," he said at length. Andy stood up and walked toward her. He shrugged into his shirt and started buttoning it. "I guess he talked to Rusty about it, he called me and said that Rusty told him he should ask me if anything was planned for the day. I guess Rusty forgot to mention _why_ he should be asking _me_. I just told him that I was planning on taking you to dinner, but I could make it lunch if he was planning on flying down." Andy stopped in front of her. An odd look had crossed her face. His brows drew together. "Sharon, is that a problem?"

Her lips were parted. She shook her head slowly and distracted herself by pulling the sweater on. She wasn't sure what surprised her more, that he and Ricky seemed to so easily be able to work together on her behalf, or the direction that her thoughts had suddenly taken. Actually, she was sure that it was the thought that had moved through her mind that left her speechless. She was afraid that she would give voice to it. _I think I love you_. It had stolen her breath and for just a moment she thought her heart had ceased beating, so strong had the pressure in her chest been. She swallowed with some difficulty and smiled at him. "No, of course not," she managed, and it wasn't entirely a lie. "I think I'm just so used to everything being awkward around here, it surprised me. You're right," she said, finding some comfort in being able to deflect his concern, "at least one of them likes you." Sharon rolled her eyes at him and moved to the dressing table against the wall. She lifted her brush and started pulling it through her hair. "Although, I know Rusty likes you fine; that situation is completely temporary."

He frowned at the back of her head. Andy didn't believe her. Her response had taken too long, and for one thing, she was just a bad liar. Even if he hadn't already known that, her short, jerky movements would have given her away. He shook his head as he walked over to stand behind her. He laid his hands on her hips and turned her to face him. "Sharon," he spoke quietly. When she wouldn't even meet his gaze, he tipped her chin up. "If I overstepped…"

"No." That was the last thing that she wanted him to think. She was touched, truly, and that was where the sudden surge of emotion had stemmed from. Sharon laid her hand against his chest. "Not at all. I'm really…" She wasn't one that usually had a hard time putting her thoughts into words. She was very careful with them, as once spoken, words could not be taken back. "I'm very glad that…" What she was finding was that it was hard to think beyond the loud beating of her own heart. Sharon shook her head and smiled up at him. He had the power to leave her speechless, as few did, and he had managed that quite succinctly with this act. Rather than give voice to the jumbled thoughts in her head, she slipped her hand behind his neck instead. Sharon leaned up, onto the balls of her feet, and touched her mouth to his. She wasn't ready to tell him, but she could show him. She wasn't sure that she could name or understand all of the things that she was feeling in that moment, but she poured all of it into the kiss anyway. She had already known that loving him was a possibility, she just hadn't realized how easily or quickly she would begin to fall.

She took his breath away. It was such a cliché, and just as lame as she had teased earlier. Andy gathered her close and met the fervor of her kiss. When the need for air was upon them, he let his forehead rest against hers. He could see in her eyes the wealth of emotion for which she seemed lost for words. He hadn't upset her at all; it was very much the opposite. He cupped her head in his large hands and kissed the tip of her nose, and then her cheek before letting his lips touch her ear. "It takes how long it takes," he said quietly, of the words that were going unspoken. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm still gonna be right here waiting."

She nodded silently. Her hands curled around his wrists. She tipped her head against his and let out a shaky sigh. "I know." She believed him. He had waited this long. She had no doubt he would still be there just as long as he said. Sharon kissed him again before she slipped away. She turned back to making herself more presentable, and in the mirror's reflection, she could see him doing the same.

When they left her room again, she was still a bit tousled, but no worse for having been found frolicking on her living room floor by one of her kids. Andy trailed along behind her while still rolling his wrinkled shirtsleeves up around his elbows.

While they were occupied in the bedroom, Ricky had moved around the other rooms cleaning up. What was left of their picnic was relocated to the bar that separated her dining room and kitchen. He was standing at the terrace doors, watching the storm, when they rejoined him. He turned, and gave both of them a quick look before tilting his head at the two of them. "Is this okay?" His attention lingered on Andy. Ricky lifted the bottle in his hand. He had stopped on the way in and picked up a few things, the beer he liked and a few other snacks that he knew his mother didn't keep on hand. It was the beer that he was concerned with at the moment. "I can toss it if it's a problem, it's not a big deal." The only point of reference he had was his father, and he wouldn't think of popping the top on one in front of him.

"I'm good." Andy nodded and offered a reassuring smile. "Go right ahead, it doesn't bother me. What I will have is some water, Sharon?"

"Yes, please." She smiled brightly at her son. He wasn't judging. It was an honest question. "Ricky."

He shoved a hand into his pocket. He couldn't entirely decipher her look, but Ricky had a feeling that she was about to get really mushy on him. He sighed, that was his mom, she liked to be tough, but she was all heart. "So," he began, and decided he wasn't going to be the one that bruised that heart. He already managed to do that the last time she made a life change that made her happy. This time, he was going with the flow. Besides, it wasn't as if it was a bad thing. He liked the guy. "I guess things are good," he said.

Sharon laughed as she moved across the room to greet him more properly. She pulled him into a hug with a heartfelt sigh. "I am so glad that you're here," she said quietly. She hadn't realized just how wonderful it would feel to have someone accept them so easily.

"Me too." Ricky wrapped her in a tight hug and lifted her off her feet, turning with her until she laughed and demanded to be put down. He grinned; it was good to hear her laugh like that. "Happy Birthday mom."

"Thank you, baby." She cupped his chin and smiled widely. "But next time, do me a favor. Knock first."

Ricky threw his head back and laughed. "Trust me, next time, I'll call ahead, knock, and send in a recon team before I get close to opening that door."

She poked his side, but hugged him again because she was so very glad to see him. That was one more obstacle passed, and she was glad to see that it had gone well, if a bit awkwardly; Ricky's opinion had concerned her even more than Rusty's had. He had managed to surprise her, in more ways than one.

Sometimes patience was hard, and it was the surprises in life that were not so bad.

 **-TBC-**


	3. Chapter 3

**Growing Pains**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** It isn't my sandbox, but I do enjoy it so!

* * *

 **Chapter 3 – Nicole**

The sound of deep, rumbling laughter echoed across the backyard. It reached her ears a second before it was joined by a high-pitched child's squeal. Nicole looked over, smiling as her youngest was lifted up and thrown across her father's shoulders as if the boy was little more than a sack of flour. She shook her head as the child was left hanging, upside down, from her father's shoulder, laughing and squealing his delight.

They had spent most of the day away from home. Dean had gotten tickets to a baseball game. The Dodgers were at home, playing the Giants, and they had made it a family event. Her brother, Charlie, had joined them for the day, and of course she had asked her father. When he asked if he could bring a date, Nicole had only smiled knowingly and handed over the extra _two_ tickets. It was, she told him, supposed to be a family day. She and Dean had accounted for the fact that he would want to bring Sharon, and they wouldn't think of leaving Rusty out.

It was supposed to be a fun day, and for the most part it had been. As Nicole's gaze moved across the yard and landed on the boy who had been intent on being silent throughout most of it, she wondered if maybe they hadn't over-thought the event. Or at the very least, rushed it a little bit. Truthfully, she didn't know him very well, and the teenager had not been outwardly rude, but he had not seemed to enjoy himself. He was quiet, but would respond when asked a direct question. He just didn't seem all that motivated to engage anyone on his own. Nicole didn't remember him being like that at Christmas. He had been a little bit shy with them, but had not seemed withdrawn.

At first Nicole wondered if it was the number of people that were present that he didn't know, but she had put that thought aside when she saw the looks that he was casting at her father and Sharon. Nicole would not say that they hadn't noticed it, but they didn't seem affected by it. Nicole was actually fairly certain that Sharon had caught him rolling his eyes at them, if the way she had looked at him in that moment was any indication. She had not, Nicole noted, moved away from where she was leaning against her father's side. Instead, Sharon had simply sent Rusty to get some drinks.

Her dad had noticed, however. Nicole had tried not to be obvious about watching them as he had leaned in to whisper something in Sharon's ear while looking concerned. She couldn't hear it, not ever the sound of the crowd and especially the boys. That didn't seem to matter, though. Sharon had only shaken her head at him and laid a hand on his knee. She kissed him quickly before settling in to enjoy the remainder of the game. Whatever was going on, Nicole had realized in that moment that Sharon wasn't worried about it, but her dad was.

She had watched the situation a little more closely after that. Rusty had taken a while in coming back from his drinks errand. When he had, he continued to be quiet and cast wary glances at the couple. He just hadn't realized that his behavior was being witnessed.

The plan for the day had included coming back to the house for dinner. Her husband and brother had fired up the grill and were putting together a barbecue while the boys played. Her father seemed to have no problem keeping them occupied, and since Sharon seemed equally involved in keeping an eye on _him_ , Nicole made her way over to where Rusty was sitting. He had found a quiet spot in the shade and seemed to be pretending to focus on his phone.

Nicole sat down beside him and offered a tentative smile. "Hi."

He turned his phone over and looked at her. "Hey."

"So," Nicole decided not to worry about small talk. She was too much like her dad in that way, she knew. She got down to the point quickly. "Has my dad done something to upset you? Is there something that I should know about?"

Rusty blinked at her. He shook his head. "I'm sorry?" He looked around quickly. Rusty shifted in his seat and looked a little nervous. "Why are you asking me that?"

"I don't know," Nicole said. "Maybe you should tell me." She smiled at him. "I thought we were on the same side here, Rusty. Now all of a sudden they've figured out that they're dating and you don't seem to be a very big fan of it. The only thing that I can think of is that my dad has done something to change your mind. If that's the case, I think that I really deserve the right to know, don't you?"

"I don't…" Rusty wasn't sure how to answer that. He didn't even really know why she would think that the Lieutenant had done anything _wrong_. Wasn't she supposed to take her dad's side? If she thought something was gong on, shouldn't she think that Sharon was the problem? "The Lieutenant is okay, I guess," Rusty said. "They don't even fight, so everything is fine."

"Is it really?" Nicole arched a brow at him. "Because if everything is so fine, Rusty, why are you giving them such a hard time?" Nicole leaned closer to him in the chair and lowered her voice; she didn't want her dad or Sharon to hear her. She didn't think either of them would appreciate her interference, but maybe someone needed to get involved on their behalf. "I don't know you, and I know that you don't know me," she said, "but the person I do happen to know is my dad. He's not a perfect person, Rusty. Not by far, but I've seen how he is with Sharon. I've had as long to see them together as you have, and I cannot even begin to tell you how happy it makes me that now _they_ can see it too."

"I guess." Rusty shrugged. He slumped down in his chair. He didn't want to talk about it. The subject of Sharon and Flynn was not a favorite one of his. He looked over at where they were laughing together, with Nicole's kids, and sighed. "It's fine, really. I don't have a problem."

"You're a really terrible liar," Nicole shook her head at him. "Which is not great for someone who wants to be a journalist." When he cast a surprised look at her, she smiled. "What? Am I not supposed to know that? Rusty…" Her face softened and her smile warmed. "My dad told me about it. You know, it's not just Sharon that he talks about. He cares a lot about you too, and that's not something that's new. I knew a lot about you even before I met you, and I'm not talking about the bad things. I have no idea what happened to you in the past, dad wouldn't talk about it; he said that it isn't his place, and I respect that. I'm talking about everything else. How well you did in school, in spite of everything that was happening to you. How worried he was about you and Sharon during all of that horrible letter writing business, and when that guy escaped… _Rusty_."

She was shaking her head at him. He rubbed his hands against his shorts. Rusty shifted in his chair again. "What?" He stared back at her. He knew that the team all cared about him, that wasn't anything new, but why was Flynn talking about him to his family? Why would he do _that_? "He talked about me?"

"Yes," she smiled fondly at him. "Why wouldn't he? Rusty," she laughed. "I thought we were on the same page here? The only people who didn't know that our parents were dating were our parents. Remember? Of course he talked about you, you're his girlfriend's son, and he cares about what happens to you." She leaned against the arm of her chair so that she was closer to him. "Dad almost made himself sick because he was so worried about you and Sharon. I don't know what is going on with that now, but it all seems to have been resolved, and I have never seen dad this happy. I know that sounds incredibly corny, Rusty, but it's true. I mean, look at him." She waved a hand at where he had one of her sons hanging from his arm like a football. The other was looped around Sharon's shoulders. They were talking to Dean and Charlie and acting as if nothing at all were out of the ordinary. "Have you ever seen such a big goofball?"

Rusty followed her gaze. He looked across the yard and stared at the group of adults that were standing near the grill. The Lieutenant put Jake down so that he could run off and play with his brother. They couldn't hear what was being said, but he watched Sharon laugh and shove Flynn away from her. His brows drew together. Whatever was going on, they were obviously teasing one another. That was something that they did a lot of. Flynn pulled her back to him and wrapped her in a tight hug that seemed to make the other two men laugh as he proceeded to _pretend_ to grovel. Rusty sighed. "I guess not," he conceded. He cast a glance at Nicole. "It's not really him. It's just…" He shrugged. "He's _always_ around," he admitted. "Way more than before."

Nicole offered a sympathetic look. She thought that maybe she understood now. There was another guy encroaching on his territory. "When I met Dean, Michael didn't like me much," she explained, describing the early days spent with her husband and his eldest son. "He thought that I was trying to take his mother's place. He had to get used to me. It wasn't easy," she admitted, "but we figured out how to make it work. Michael and I are okay now, more than okay, actually." Nicole shrugged. "There was a time when Dean and I almost broke up over it, because no matter what, those boys were more important than us. They came first, and that was how it should be. Rusty," she touched his arm, but when he seemed to grow stiff at the contact she drew her hand back. "Your mom is always going to put you first, no matter what. My dad understands that. But I will let you in on another little secret." Nicole looked toward where her father was standing with his girlfriend. "He loves her. Because he loves her, he's going to do what is best for her. If that means walking away, because she needs for you to be happy, he'll do it."

"But I'm not asking him to do that." Rusty sat up in his chair and stared at her. "I never said that I wanted that." Suddenly he felt all sweaty. His heart was beating rapidly. Rusty shook his head while his stomach clenched. "He can't do that, if he hurts her—"

She watched his eyes dilate. Nicole touched his arm again, and this time she didn't withdraw. "He isn't going to hurt her, Rusty." He seemed close to panicking so she moved her hand up to his shoulder. "I promise. My dad isn't like that. He made a lot of mistakes when I was little, but the one thing that I _never_ had to worry about, was if he would hurt me. He wouldn't, and he won't hurt your mom either. Rusty…" She rubbed his arm and smiled gently. " _Look_ at them. Don't think. Just look."

He let her direct his wide-eyed gaze back to the other side of the yard. They were still standing together, but this time Flynn had his hands resting on her shoulders. She was leaning back against his chest. She was gesturing with her hands while she spoke, and he was just standing there, rubbing her shoulders. Like it was the most normal thing on the planet. Rusty supposed, for them, it was. At least, it was now. While he watched, Flynn said something against her ear. He saw Sharon smile and nod. When she looked up at him, the look on her face took Rusty by surprise. His jaw dropped open. He shook his head slowly. "She loves him." When had that happened, and why hadn't he noticed?

"Yes." Nicole agreed. "And if you keep at this, she's going to give him up, because at the end of the day, she is always going to love you more." Nicole stood up, but smiled down at him again. "Maybe you should think about that? My dad isn't going to hurt her, Rusty. But right now, I think you might be. I mean, think about it. It's not easy to love someone when the world seems to be against you. Is it?" Nicole gave him a pointed look and left him with that thought as she made her way across the yard to rejoin her husband and their children.

Rusty slumped back in his seat. His thoughts turned inward while he considered everything that Nicole had said. He continued to watch Sharon and Flynn throughout the day, but with none of the previous wariness that he had expressed. Now it was curiosity. He was studying them, watching for all of the little tells that he had missed before. The way that they smiled at one another, or touched one another, he had largely ignored that before. He didn't want to think about it, and he didn't want any of the details of their relationship. In ignoring it, he missed a huge piece of the puzzle that was the two of them and how they fit together. Rusty had not realized that they were not just screwing around because it was convenient, but that they genuinely liked just being together.

Later, when Flynn dropped them off at home, he told them that he was going back to his place. It had been a long day and he was tired. Rusty winced when Sharon's smile seemed to falter. She had simply agreed that she was tired and kissed him goodnight at the door. Rusty sighed. He was standing in the kitchen contemplating the contents of the refrigerator because he had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he hadn't eaten much at Nicole's, and now he was genuinely hungry. He could hear them at the door, still talking quietly, and he didn't know what they were talking about, but the conversation was hushed. He pushed the refrigerator door closed and shoved his hands into his pockets.

He walked around and stared at the pair. They were saying goodnight, but seemed reluctant to actually part. Rusty rolled his eyes at them, this time at how obvious they were, rather than to disparage what he was seeing. "You know, as long as you promise that I never have to see you half-naked, like, ever, you don't have to sneak around and pretend that he's not spending the night every other night." Rusty shrugged at them and walked over to pick up the hoody that he had dropped onto the couch earlier. "I mean, you don't have to toss him out at five in the morning anymore either. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but everyone already knows you two are a couple, so what is with all the sneaking around anyway?" He cast a half-hearted smirk at them, "Not like anyone here is married… anymore."

Sharon blinked at him. Once again, one of her sons had managed to catch her by surprise. She shifted where she stood and straightened. "Rusty, I do not _sneak_."

Andy snorted a quiet laugh. "Sweetheart, you're an expert on the subject." He tugged on a lock of her hair when she glared at him and just smiled crookedly. "Come on, we've got it down to a science now, and you know it."

Her brow arched at him. "Obviously not if Rusty knows about it." She folded her arms across her chest. "I told you to keep it down when you leave."

"Oh, that's not the problem." Rusty grinned. "But next time you don't want me to know that he's here, you might want to make sure you don't leave his jacket lying around out here. Not to mention the fact that his car is parked in front of our building is a dead giveaway, but what do I know. I've never tried to sneak a boyfriend into the apartment in the middle of the night. I'm learning a lot, though."

"First of all," Sharon pointed a finger at him. "There will be no—"

Andy drew her back against his chest. "Rusty," he jerked his head toward the hall. "Red alert. Strategic retreat. You're nearing Darth-Con-3," he warned, of the system that he and Ricky had come up with to gauge their mother's rising ire.

Rusty took one look at Sharon and then took a step back. He nodded once and turned. Narrowed eyes and pursed lips; he booked it toward his room just as quickly as he could. Maybe later, if she was less irritated or otherwise occupied, he would see about getting something to eat.

On the subject of her dating, he wasn't completely okay with it, but Rusty resolved to try harder. No matter what, he didn't want to be the one who caused her to get hurt. She was happy, that was what he had realized that afternoon. As long as she was happy, and they weren't being weird about it, he could try to be as okay with them being together as Ricky and Nicole were. He didn't know how long that would take, but he was going to stop being a jerk about it. Obviously it wasn't up to him who Sharon dated, and if his life had taught him anything, it was that she could really do a whole lot worse. The real question was could she do better?

As he entered his room, Rusty could hear the sounds of her mood being turned on Flynn. She was admonishing him for encouraging the teenage antics. He couldn't hear all of the response, but Rusty could still make out the low, rumbling tone of Flynn's voice. A second later, he heard her laughing again. If she was at all irritated, she had already forgotten it. Rusty was wondering if the answer to his question was no, maybe she couldn't do better. He thought perhaps, if he was more watchful, he would find out.

 **-TBC-**


	4. Chapter 4

**Growing Pains**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** It isn't my sandbox, but I do enjoy it so!

* * *

 **Chapter 4 – Emily**

The sound of someone pounding on the front door woke all of them. It was the middle of the night, closer to morning really than anyone wanted to think. Andy was bleary eyed as he opened the door, and rubbed a hand over his face as a headache settled behind his eyes. He'd gone too long on too little sleep, and now he was starting to feel it. The whirlwind that pushed her way into the condo, tossing her bags aside and being none too quiet about it, was enough to pull him back from the brink of falling asleep on his feet.

"Where is she?" Emily Raydor looked around the interior of the apartment, and if she thought that it was odd to be greeted by a half dressed man at her mother's door, she didn't let on. She had already let her suitcase fall at her feet and tossed her purse toward it as she made her way down the hall. "Mom!"

Andy groaned as he pushed the door closed again. "She's asleep," he rumbled quietly, but knew that he had gone unheard. "Or at least she was." He turned and started to follow, but tripped over the suitcase. He swore as he stubbed his toe on one of the wheels. "Dammit." He scowled darkly at the thing and pushed it aside with his foot before staring down the hall.

"Mom!" She blinked when the lamp came on as she stepped into her mother's room. Emily made her way toward the bed and crawled across it to lie along her mother's body, hugging her tightly.

"Emily." Sharon sighed as she wrapped her arms around her. "I told you not to come," she admonished gently, but hugged her back just as tightly anyway. "I'm perfectly okay, as you can see."

"You are not _okay_ ," Emily drew back to glare at her. "You were shot! There is nothing okay about that," she said sternly. "Of course I came. I took the first flight that I could get on." What she wouldn't mention was that it had been a one way to Chicago, and from there she had to take another flight to Las Vegas, and finally a third flight into Los Angeles. There just hadn't been any flights available that would bring her directly home, none that weren't completely booked. It had been worth it, even if she had arrived hours after she intended to, and in the middle of the night.

"Emily," Sharon drew her back down and stroked her back. She was still very fuzzy, and worried that if she let her eyes remain closed long enough she would fall back to sleep. Sharon didn't like that the pain medication left her feeling so outside of herself. "It was just a flesh wound, hardly a thing at all. I was treated and released. There was no reason for you to come all this way in the middle of the night." She felt her daughter tremble and combed a hand through her hair. "This is why I didn't want your brother to call you."

"Rusty didn't call me," she mumbled against her mother's shoulder. "Ricky did." Her brother was stuck in Tokyo at a software conference. He wasn't going to be able to get home for a couple of days. He called her because he thought that Rusty might be in over his head, and he was probably right. Their mother could be incredibly stubborn.

"I warned you this would happen." Andy leaned against the open door. His arms were folded across his chest. "There are three of them and only one of you. They're joining forces and you're outnumbered."

"Yes, I see that." Sharon sighed. "Apparently that means that my wishes on certain matters should just be ignored." Movement beside Andy drew her attention and she saw Rusty poke his head around the doorframe. "Rusty, I asked you not to—"

"Don't blame him." Emily lifted her head and glared at her mother. "It was his first time having to act as your next of kin. He didn't know what to do. He called me first, but I didn't answer my phone, so he called Ricky. What was he supposed to do, mother? You were unconscious and he had questions. You want us to act like family, well, that's exactly what Rusty did. You don't get to determine when and how that comes into play now. This was your idea, and now we're on board. You're not allowed to be upset with Rusty for acting exactly as you've taught him, and you don't get to tell me not to fly across the country to be here when something like this happens. Ricky will be here the day after tomorrow, and only because he's coming much farther. While I'm on the subject of things that you've done," she hooked a thumb at the door. "Why is there a half-naked man standing in your bedroom in the middle of the night?"

Rusty blinked owlishly. He reached over and nudged Andy. When he had the other man's attention, he pointed into the bedroom. "There's two of them," he whispered, not sure if he should be disturbed by that or not. The first time that he met Emily she was distracted, worried about her father and the secret that they were keeping from Sharon. She was quiet and kind, and nothing like the little spitfire that was currently giving Sharon a hard time. "What do we do?"

For the first time all day, Andy was tempted to laugh. The sick feeling that he had been carrying around for the last several hours finally receded. She was right, it was just a flesh wound, but it was a sight that was going to stay with him for a while. He had watched her go down, and couldn't get to her from where he was positioned. He had to watch as someone else took care of her, and then later, as she was hauled off to the hospital, he was stuck behind answering questions and doing his job. It had taken too damned long for him to be able to get to the hospital, and by that time Rusty was already there. He had Ricky on speakerphone, answering all of the questions for the medical staff that Andy could have answered if he hadn't been stuck following the damned rules.

The bullet had hit her flank, below her vest, low and on the outside, a through-and-through, but it had bled like a son of a bitch. Nothing major had been hit, and she had only been out of it for a couple of minutes. The medical staff hadn't seen any reason to keep her, and so after she was treated, she was sent home. That was some hours ago. Andy had driven her and the kid back to the condo. He put Sharon to bed and sent the kid off to his room, glad that for once Rusty hadn't seemed to mind that he was there.

Andy slanted a look at him and grinned. "No sudden movements. We'll back away slowly and hope that they don't see us."

"That's the best you can do?" Rusty made a face at him. "What do you think they are, Raydorsaurus-Rex? If we don't move they won't see us? They are totally going to notice. I'm starting to understand why you and Lieutenant Provenza always get caught. Your planning leaves a lot to be desired."

His eyes narrowed. Andy stared at him. "For the record, none of those things were ever my idea. Trouble always finds him, I'm just usually unlucky enough to be there when it does."

Rusty smirked happily back at him. "Yeah? That's not how _he_ tells it."

Andy rolled his eyes. "No, of course it isn't. I swear to god, one of these days…"

Emily leaned close to her mother. "The half-naked man is making weird jokes with the stray offspring. Should we be worried?"

Sharon closed her eyes, but chuckled quietly. "The half-naked man has a name, and honestly, honey, he wasn't expecting to get pulled out of bed by visitors at this hour." He was wearing his boxers and a t-shirt, which was his preferred way of sleeping, whether they were in her bed or his. No, she corrected herself; his preferred way of sleeping would have had _her_ in his t-shirt and him without it. Sharon smiled at the thought of how they would have ended up like that. "Rusty, go back to bed," she said, all without opening her eyes again. Honestly, it was hard to focus. Her eyes felt so incredibly heavy. "Andy, put some pants on or get back into bed. Emily…"

"I guess I should get _out_ of the bed first." She said dryly. She had watched her mother's smile turn just a little bit loopy and realized that she was awfully sluggish, something that was entirely unlike her. Emily looked beyond her to the glass of water and pill bottles on the table beside the bed. "Just exactly how high are you right now, mom?"

"Well," she managed and blinked her eyes open again. "You're laying on my injured side and I'm not feeling it. I would say that I am feeling particularly wonderful right now."

"Oh god!" Emily pushed back from her quickly and scrambled from the bed. "Mom, I'm so sorry. Why didn't you say something?" She cast a horrified look at Andy. "How many of those did you give her?"

"Half of one," he shook his head. "Three hours ago." He pursed his lips and shrugged. "Your mother is a light weight." Andy pushed away from the door and walked over to check on her. He leaned over Sharon's side of the bed and swept her hair back from her face. She was still pale, but they had assured him that she would be okay. Hell, he'd had worse than that little through-and-through, not that any gunshot wound was something to be called _little_. Her eyes were drooping again, and he knew it was as much having actually been injured as it was the effect of the medication that was drawing her back to sleep. "Get some rest," he said quietly, "I'll get the kids settled."

"Okay." This time she didn't even bother opening her eyes again. Sharon turned her face away from him and chased the elusive darkness that had been closing in on her since the moment that the pounding had started on the door.

Andy herded the other two away from the room and dimmed the lights before pulling the door closed behind him. He reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. A weary sigh passed his lips. "Rusty," he said after a moment, "can you get some spare blankets for the sofa." He scrubbed his hand over his face again. It pained him to suggest it, but he wasn't about to put Sharon's daughter on the couch for the night. "Emily, let's get your stuff. You can join Sharon. I'll take the couch."

"Actually," Rusty interrupted, "if Emily doesn't mind, she can have my room." He shrugged at them. "I can sleep on the couch. It's kind of short, and there's no way you'll fit," he told the older man. Rusty was uncomfortable making Emily sleep on it, although that was usually where Ricky slept when he visited.

She rolled her eyes at them. "That's very sweet," she said, "but I've slept on that sofa before. Ricky and I take turns when we're both home. I actually like it. Don't worry," she assured both of them, "I'm really fine with it. You should both go back to bed." Emily looked between them and realized how tired they both were. She was pretty exhausted herself after travelling all night. "I know where the linens are. I can take care of everything out here."

His brows were drawn together. Andy gave her a long look. "Are you sure?" The desire to go back to bed was an almost physical ache. He could ignore it for another few minutes. She had managed to fly across country in the middle of the night. He felt bad about abandoning her just to fall into bed beside her mother, since that was the reason that she was there.

Emily offered a small smile. "Yes. It's my mother's house. I think I know my way around. Besides, right now, I could sleep on the balcony and be perfectly comfortable." She had been operating on adrenaline, but now that she was there, it was fading and quickly. "I'm good," she promised them, "go back to bed."

Andy glanced at Rusty. The kid didn't look anymore convinced than he was. He sighed, however, and just shrugged at her. "Okay." What could he do? He didn't really know her all that well, and wasn't really sure that it was his place to push. He let his attention linger on Rusty instead. "You going to be alright?"

"Yeah." He shrugged. "I'll just go back to sleep. You're still taking me to get my car before you go to work, right?" They had left it at the hospital. Rusty had just been too tired to argue when Flynn suggested driving him home along with Sharon.

"Yes." Andy nodded. He had actually forgotten about that. He would drop the kid off at Cedars on his way to the office. It wasn't that far out of his way. He didn't like the idea of having to go anywhere, but he still had an after action report to finish and their case wasn't completely closed yet. "Remind me again in the morning," he said, because as tired as he was, he knew he might just forget again. "If you need something," he pointed at Emily as he pushed Sharon's door open again.

"Got it covered," she said again, and only narrowly managed to not roll her eyes again. "Good night," she told them both, and made her way back down the hall.

"Night." Andy sighed as he disappeared back inside the bedroom.

Rusty watched him go and trudged down the hall, following Emily. "Are you sure that you don't mind taking the couch? It really isn't a problem switching out," he said, and gestured back toward his room. "It's okay, I can totally sleep out here. I've done it before," he said, although the last time he slept on the couch his reasons had been far from altruistic.

"It really is okay, Rusty." Emily offered a tight smile. She walked over and retrieved her suitcase from where she tossed it earlier, along with her purse. She carried both bags around and set them next to one of the armchairs, out of the way. "Go back to bed," She suggested. "It's late, or early." Emily made the mistake of looking at her watch. It was still on New York time. No wonder her body was aching in the way that it was. She had been awake now for almost twenty-four hours.

He watched her for a moment and then Rusty finally nodded. "We'll try not to wake you up in the morning. We will probably leave pretty early, but I'm coming back after we get my car…" He trailed off and fidgeted where he stood. "So, yeah. Good night."

"Good night, Rusty." Emily watched him retreat down the hall. She sank onto the sofa with a sigh and covered her face with her hands. She heard her phone vibrate in her purse and walked over to dig it out. The text was from her father. What Emily had not told them was that she had not taken a cab from the airport, nor had she rented a car. Her dad had picked her up and dropped her off downstairs. He wouldn't come up, and now she understood why. It went so far beyond just the fact that he and her mother were now divorced. Emily sighed again as she studied the text. _"How is she?_ "

He had been worried too, but he had less information than all of them. No one was really sharing anything, and he was the last person that they would tell even if they were. " _She was okay_ ," Emily sent back to him. " _She's just really tired_." She waited for a minute before sending a third text. Emily frowned as she typed it out. " _I think I get why you wouldn't come up with me. Did you know?_ "

His response was very simple. " _Yes_."

Emily felt tears sting her eyes. When she told him that it was okay, that he could come up and check on her mother, he just shook his head sadly and said that she wouldn't want him there. Emily thought it was because of what happened the previous winter, but now she understood the hurt in his gaze. She tried very hard to feel about it the way that Ricky did; that her father had finally earned the future that he was working toward. Their mother had moved on, and not with him. It was just so hard to not feel badly for him, especially when something like this happened. He was genuinely worried about her. He was right, though. She hadn't needed him. She had someone else.

When Ricky told her that their mother was dating, Emily hadn't realized that it was serious. It was only natural that she would go out with someone now that she was divorced. They couldn't expect her to be alone for the rest of her life. Her brother had failed to mention that there was an actual relationship happening. Emily made a note to discuss that fact with him. Not for the first time she felt removed from everything. As much as she loved her life, and her career, this was the downside of living so far away. She sometimes felt as if she was on the outside of everything, looking back in from a distance. It was why she empathized so well with her father, even if their positions were miles apart.

" _I'm sorry, dad. I didn't know. I'm going to bed. I'll tell mom you were worried._ " Emily placed her phone on the coffee table and tugged her boots off. Then she sat back on the sofa and drew her knees to her chest. She wrapped her arms around them and closed her eyes.

It was the throbbing in her side that woke Sharon some time later. Light was only just beginning to push through the curtains. She glanced at the clock beside her bed and realized that there were still a couple of hours left before the alarm would go off, waking Andy. She glanced at him beside her. He was snoring quietly, despite the fact that his face was pressed into the pillow. A smile curved her lips upward. He was completely exhausted, and she was loath to wake him before it was necessary. She didn't want to take another pain pill either, and Sharon knew that if she stayed in bed, she would begin to fidget.

She winced as she sat up. The stitches pulled painfully. She held her breath and set her jaw as she pulled herself upright. She glanced back once more to make sure that she hadn't awakened Andy, and then she pulled herself to her feet. She teetered, just a bit unsteady at first, and pressed a hand to her side as she gained her balance. Sharon picked up the bottle of pain pills, just in case she changed her mind, and carried them with her out of the room. It was highly unlikely. She didn't like the heavy feeling that they left her with.

She made a stop in the bathroom to splash water on her face and take a milder, over the counter analgesic before shuffling her way down the hall. As she moved across the living room, she was surprised to find blankets and pillows folded and stacked at one end of the sofa. She quickly recalled Emily's arrival, however, and shook her head. Her children were stubborn. She had told them that she was okay.

It wasn't just a line that she was selling them. She had been fortunate. The wound was minor. Honestly, the suspect hadn't meant to shoot her. The boy was scared out of his mind and coming down off a high. He was going to put his weapon down, but he had been startled. It had gone off in his hand, and she had been hit. They were both very lucky, but he would still face charges for the assault. Sharon made a note to talk to Hobbs about that. There was no reason to add to his charges for the accidental shooting, not when he was already going to be put away for the intentional.

In the meantime, she wondered why the sofa was empty. Sharon found the reason as she stepped beyond the living room to move into the kitchen. Her daughter was seated at the table, a cup of tea in front of her, and her shoulders hunched. "Emily?" Sharon quietly called her name as she moved toward her. When she looked up, too startled to hide her tear-stained face, Sharon sighed. "Em."

"You should be resting." She ducked her face and reached up to wipe at her cheeks. "What are you doing out of bed?" As tired as she was, Emily had not been able to sleep. She had hoped the tea would help. It was long since cold now. While she sat there, she couldn't seem to hold back the well of emotion that all of her earlier fear had created.

"I was tired of resting." Sharon walked over and leaned one hand against the table to brace herself. She cupped her daughter's chin and tipped her face up. "I spent all evening resting. Emily," she met her gaze and offered a gentle smile. "I'm okay."

Her face slowly crumbled. Emily shook her head and pressed her face against her mother's middle. Her arm wrapped around her, and this time she was careful to make sure that she was on her _un_ injured side. "No," she said, "It's really not okay. Nothing has been okay for a while now, mom, and the only one who doesn't see it is you." Emily leaned back and wiped at her cheeks. "I don't even know what you're doing anymore. It's hard to believe you when you say that everything is good here, when all of these bad things keep happening. You've got people trying to kill you, police protection. You got divorced and then you adopted a new son. On top of that," she wrapped her hands around her teacup again, "since when do I not even rate a phone call that you're in a serious relationship with someone that I don't even know." Emily shook her head before her mother could reply. "Then you get shot and you don't want us to know about it; that is anything but okay mom. With everything else that has been happening in this family, try living on the other side of the country and getting _that_ call. I am so grateful that you were not injured more seriously, but you could have been. You can't just control everything and expect it to just all workout because you want it to."

Sharon pulled another chair over and sat while she waited for her daughter to have her say. When Emily grew silent, she tilted her head. Her brows lifted while she watched the emotions play across her girl's face. Finally, she just wrapped an arm around her middle and sighed. "Can't I?" Sharon offered a patient smile when Emily looked surprised at her response. "You chose New York because that's where your dreams are. I've supported that Emily, but it was _your_ choice. You are living your life on your terms, aren't I allowed to do the same?" Sharon took one of her daughter's hands and held it. "I know that a lot of things have happened these last few years, but Emily, that's just life. It isn't something that can be controlled, and it pains me to admit that, but all we can do is make the best of every situation." Sharon shook her head and let her gaze drift away for a moment. "I found a boy that needed a home, and quite unexpectedly he became something much more. The danger that surrounded him was unavoidable, but we managed. I've given your father more choices, and more chances, than he probably deserved, Emily. That divorce was long overdo and I do not regret it, only the need for it and the pain that it caused. On the subject of Andy…"

Her mother couldn't even say his name with smiling. Emily groaned quietly. "I think I get the point." She sat back in her chair. "It's not that I don't want you to be happy," she said. "It's just that I feel like these are things that you should share with us. I had to hear about it from Ricky, and he never said anything about it being serious."

"Every relationship is serious, Emily. Even those that are casual." Sharon rested her arms against the table and leaned against it for support. After a moment she shook her head. The effort to sit there was too great. "Come with me." She pushed herself up, but not without grimacing in pain. "Come on," she said again, and held out a hand.

Emily sighed as she took it. She pulled herself up and left her tea behind. She curled a hand around her mother's arm and walked with her to the sofa. They both took a seat, and she watched the relief that crossed her mother's face as she was able to sink into the cushions. Emily felt guilty for having put so much of her own inner turmoil on her. "Mom, are you sure that you shouldn't be in bed?"

"Yes." Sharon tried not to feel irritated. She knew that Emily was only being concerned. "Laying down was actually more painful, and I didn't want to wake Andy." The flash of emotion in her daughter's eyes made her frown. "Not you too," she groaned. Sharon covered her face with her hand. "Why is everyone so against this?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. Emily had not expected that. She drew her knees up and turned toward her mother. She seemed truly upset, and that made her wonder just _what_ had been going on in Los Angeles during her absence. "I didn't say that I was against it," she said quietly. "I just wasn't expecting it. I guess everything isn't all that _okay_ here after all?"

Sharon let her head fall back against the sofa cushions. She hummed thoughtfully. She hadn't meant to let that frustration show, but she was becoming very tired of needing to ignore or defend her relationship to others. It seemed that only Ricky and Nicole were apt to support it. "I wouldn't call it difficult," she admitted, "but it has been interesting. Rusty hasn't been our biggest fan, although he's getting better, and neither have some of our colleagues. Aside from your brother and Andy's daughter, everyone either wants to pretend we don't exist or expects us to fail."

She sounded so incredibly sad. Emily immediately felt contrite. She laid a hand on her mother's arm. "I think that I can probably understand Rusty's point of view. I'm not sure that I would want to know about it either if I was still living at home. Why do the others think that it will fail?" She didn't know this man, so she couldn't gauge it for herself, but her mother didn't take personal risks like this lightly. She rarely moved into a situation without at least having some feel for the outcome.

"It just isn't easy," Sharon said simply, "when you work together and have to balance the personal and professional. It's even more complicated when there's a command chain. Andy works for me, and if that wasn't already enough, ours is a high-stress, and sometimes dangerous job. We have to be careful with how we treat each other. The others are worried about what would happen if one of us over-stepped, especially in a dangerous situation."

"Hm." It was Emily's turn to hum. She rested her elbow against the back of the sofa and propped her head in her hand. "What happened yesterday?" She asked the question carefully, as much because she needed the details, as because she thought it might weigh on the situation that her mother was trying to describe.

"It was just an unfortunate event," Sharon said. "The situation got out of control. Aside from being a very unstable man, our suspect was also a very inexperienced shooter. He mishandled the gun while we were trying to disarm him. The situation could have been a lot worse, but it wasn't overly precarious. I don't remember much after being placed in the ambulance. I woke up in the hospital later."

"Yes," Emily didn't want to dwell too much on that. She would come back to it later, preferably when she was alone. "But if your coworkers are worried about your relationship with Andy, where was he during all of this?" She shrugged. "It seems to me, if there's some reason to be worried about how you handle these kinds of things together now, what he was doing while you were hurt might be important."

Sharon hadn't thought of that. Her head tilted as she thought back. She was trying to recall the specific moment. There was a lot of chaos. She was more stunned than pained at first, although that had certainly set in. She recalled the faces that were surrounding her, and remembered that she was with Lieutenant Tao and Detective Sanchez. Andy had been on the other side of the alley with Detective Sykes and Lieutenant Provenza. The shooter was between them.

She recalled the information that she was given after the fact. Even after she was shot, it was necessary to disarm the man and take him in to custody. She didn't remember seeing Andy again until much later, at the hospital actually. He had mentioned having to stay behind and deal with the scene. He had not rushed immediately to her side, and nor had he followed her right away. He had examined the situation, and then he had done his job. He took care of her later, when he was able. Sharon had taken for granted that he had done that, because it was exactly what she expected of him. It had not been easy. That was evident later, in how he had held her when they were finally alone.

He had said the words that had, until then, gone unspoken between them. But that too had come later, after she was tucked into bed, and Rusty was settled in his room, and everything was handled. There were no grand declarations or gestures. He just held her, and let the words whisper quietly against her ear.

"He did okay," she finally managed to say, voice thick and catching at the emotion that moved through her. "He handled it."

"Sounds like you passed a test," Emily didn't want the details. She didn't need them, but it was enough to watch the realization that crossed her mother's face, as _she_ understood everything that happened in the last twenty-four hours. "Maybe they don't have anything to worry about, and neither do you. If you can get shot and he can deal with it, I think that you can probably handle anything else that happens. I know you keep saying that you're okay, but that is still a big deal." Emily shook her head at her mother. "A _very_ big deal."

Sharon's head turned. She reached up and cupped her daughter's cheek. "I know. I just didn't want you to worry when the situation didn't warrant it." She smiled gently and pushed everything else aside. "You're right, it isn't as if I twisted my ankle. It is a big deal. The thing is, it turned out to be very minor and I'm well taken care of here. I would have told you, but when I could speak to you myself. The last thing that I wanted, honey, was for you to get on a plane and spend all night trying to get here when I truly am okay."

Emily gave her an incredulous look, but reached up to cover her hand. "I would have flown out here anyway. But I understand. I just hate that you still think that you have to protect us. We're all grown up now, mom. Sometimes we get to take care of you too."

"You can say that," Sharon tugged her close and hugged her. "But you will still be my baby. That isn't really something that you can escape."

"No," she laughed. "I guess it really isn't. You are very stubborn." Emily drew back and rolled her eyes at her mother. "But maybe if you had told me everything that is going on out here, I might have waited until morning. How was I supposed to know that you're so well taken care of?" She gave her mother a pointed look. "You didn't really expect that the brothers were going to tell me anything, did you?"

"Honestly?" Sharon offered a warm smile. "I really didn't feel like it was any of—"

"My business," Emily finished for her. "You are so predictable. For the record mom, when there is a guy spending enough time at your place that he is comfortable enough to answer the door in his underwear, it's time to tell the kids. Just in case you ever find yourself in this situation again, you should know that."

"Oh god." Sharon covered her face with her hand. She could just imagine that too, because at that late hour, he just wouldn't have cared. He also wouldn't have expected it to be Emily. "At least it's better than what Ricky walked in on."

Emily's eyes widened. "No," she exclaimed, drawing out the syllable. She laughed, quite happily and settled back on the sofa. "Suddenly, I'm completely okay with all of this."

"I'm so glad that I could accommodate you." Sharon tipped her head back and closed her eyes. "Two out of three are odds that I suppose I am willing to accept."

She hummed. "Rusty is really having a hard time with it?" Her mother had mentioned that much, but Emily could see the toll that it was taking now.

"He's getting better." Sharon shrugged. "I think it's going to work out. He just needed some time. He just isn't exactly pleasant to be around when he's upset about something."

"Ah." Emily nodded in understanding. "Baby brother is being a brat. That's a phenomenon that I am quite familiar with." Suddenly very tired again, Emily scooted down on the sofa. She leaned over and laid her head on her mother's leg. "You couldn't have gotten me a sister?"

"Hm." Sharon smirked. She combed her fingers through her daughter's hair. "Well, I am working on it, you know." She bit her lip to keep from laughing when Emily groaned. The act would have hurt too much and she was in enough pain. Sharon shook her head instead. "Don't worry, you'll like Nicole. She's familiar with the brother phenomenon too."

Emily grew silent. She turned her head slightly and looked up at her mother. She pushed their teasing aside. "Is it that serious?" She couldn't imagine that it was, she didn't think that it had been going on that long.

"No." Sharon shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know, some day perhaps, but not just yet. We're still finding our way. I don't know what's going to happen. It's much too early to think about that." She continued to comb her fingers through Emily's dark hair. "I stopped dreaming about tomorrow a long time ago, baby. I like living in today."

A sad smile graced her lips. She knew why that was. Her father had taught them that dreams and promises could be empty. "Maybe it's time to start dreaming again," she suggested. "It couldn't hurt. You always pushed us to chase our dreams. Why shouldn't you do the same?"

The backs of her fingers caressed her daughter's cheek. She smiled gently. "Because I already have mine. You were my dream, Emily. You and Ricky, and now Rusty. That was enough for me. My life has never been empty, honey. It may not have always been pleasant, but I wasn't without my dreams, and I am very happy with where they took me. Now I get to watch each of you do the dreaming. That doesn't mean that I don't have ambitions; I am content with where my life is. My career is what I've made of it, and as long as you three are healthy and happy, there isn't much more that I _need_."

"Yes." Emily had always been especially good at reading her mother. That was something that Ricky was still learning. He fumbled, missing clues that were right in front of him. Emily thought that maybe Rusty had her figured out too, but he was a little more perceptive than their brother. "What about love?" She smiled up at her. "You may have the things that you need, but what about the things that you want?"

Sharon shook her head. She let the silken strands of Emily's dark hair curl around her fingers. "You are your father's daughter, did you know that?" Jack had always been very good at reading her too, and getting to the center of what she didn't want to discuss, or what she was trying to skirt around. In moments like these, seeing him in their children, all of the good and none of the bad, it was hard to be disappointed in him. "I'm not lacking in love," she said. "I've just reached a point in my life where I'm more than comfortable in just letting it happen and seeing where it takes me."

"Then why are you so worried about what everyone else thinks about it?" Emily smiled up at her. "The opinions of others shouldn't matter as long as you're happy with it. What's the rule mom?" She lifted her head and gave her a pointed look. "As long as you're happy, and as long as you're safe, nothing else should be important."

"Realizing that your children have grown into the people that you hoped they would be is another dream fulfilled, remember that, my darling." Her thumb stroked the curve of her daughter's cheek. She encouraged her to lie back down. "It's just a matter of time, Emily. We have to find our way, but so do those around us. There are a lot of moving parts. We can't maneuver all of them, and we shouldn't even try. I'm not really that worried about everyone else. It can be frustrating, and it can be embarrassing, and awkward. It's also very wonderful most of the time. It's just life. We're doing the best that we can."

"I hope it works out," She said, and meant it. Emily rubbed her cheek against the soft material of her mother's leggings with a sigh. "I really do. But if you ever keep something like this from me again," she warned.

"Duly noted, little one." She tapped Emily's nose. "Now go to sleep."

"I should get up so that you're more comfortable," she mumbled, but her mother had started stroking her scalp, and it just felt too wonderful to move.

"I am perfectly comfortable right here." She pulled a throw pillow over and tucked it between her injured side and the arm of the couch. It added an extra layer of support and she felt some of the ache decrease. When Sharon lifted her legs and laid them on the coffee table, she felt more of the pressure recede. "Sleep, Emily. I'm not going anywhere."

"I know." She felt much more secure in that now, having seen her and felt her, and listened to the details of what happened. Emily sighed and let herself be pulled under. Having been awake for so long, coupled with the worry and emotional upset was more than she could fight. She let her mother ease her into slumber.

She woke sometime later to the sound of voices. From the ache in her head and the heavy feeling in her body, Emily realized that she had not been asleep for every long. She blinked her eyes open and looked up. She had not easily recognized the voice because it belonged to the man who was leaning over the side of the sofa to speak quietly to her mother. Emily was glad that she seemed to go unnoticed while she watched them.

"Are you sure that you're okay here?" He cupped her cheek, and looked into her eyes. He'd had a couple of bad moments waking up without her after the events of the previous day. He found her easily enough, and she looked perfectly content where she was. Andy had gone about his morning routine without any fuss. Now he had to leave, and he didn't like it at all. His jacket was tossed over the back of a nearby chair, while his gun and badge were already clipped to his belt.

"We're fine." She felt Emily shift against her leg and lowered her voice. Sharon pushed her fingers through her daughter's hair again. "You can go, Andy. I'm not going to be alone. Emily is here, and Rusty will be back soon enough. I'm okay," she assured him.

"I know." He leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. "Doesn't mean that I have to like it," he rumbled quietly. "I'll call and check on you later."

"Only if you're not too busy," she warned with a smile. "Otherwise, I will see you this evening. Now go to work, Lieutenant."

He grumbled at her, but Andy straightened. He _would_ call, but he told himself that he would try to limit it to just the once. "Don't over do it," he said, "and take the pills if it hurts." He knew that she didn't like them, but they had been prescribed for a reason.

Sharon rolled her eyes at him. She watched him retrieve his jacket and head for the door. "Yes dear," she simpered playfully.

Andy huffed as he pulled the door open and rolled his eyes heavenward. "Finally, she starts listening," he replied in kind.

Rusty smirked as he followed him. "Her response could be misleading."

Emily was floating between sleep and awareness as the door closed behind them. She heard her mother's quiet laughter and sighed. "So, about this sister," she mumbled, "how does she feel about ballet…"

Sharon poked her shoulder. "Go back to sleep, you." She shook her head. All of her children liked to be jokers. She leaned back against the sofa and closed her eyes. At least they were all accepting, in their own way, that as they had their lives to live, she also had hers.

Sleep felt very good. Emily was close to doing just that when she felt, rather than heard, a cell phone vibrating. She cracked her eyes open and looked at hers, still laying on the coffee table. The display was still dark. Emily realized the sound had been closer. She cut her eyes to the side at the same moment that she heard her mother sigh, a sound that was just a bit wistful and piqued her curiosity. Emily waited for her to lay the phone back on the cushion, in the small space between her mother's leg and the arm of the couch. She squinted to see what was displayed before it could go dark. Her lips turned up into a smile. The boyfriend hadn't even had time to make it to the parking garage yet.

" _Take the damned pills! Love you…_ "

" _I love you too. I'll think about it. Go to work!_ "

Emily didn't know whom her mother thought that she was fooling, certainly not her, at least not anymore. She decided that it was cute, how her mother was trying to be so nonchalant about being completely lost on a guy.

She would let her be content in her little denial, at least for now. Emily had, at least, finally figured out what was happening at home. Her mother was in love, her brothers were clueless, and she was going to sit back and enjoy the show. She had a feeling that it was going to be a wild ride. She really couldn't wait to see how it all turned out. Emily could be patient. At least for a while… she had learned from the best, after all.

 **-TBC-**


	5. Chapter 5

**Growing Pains**

 **by Kadi**

 **Rated T**

 **Disclaimer:** It isn't my sandbox, but I do enjoy it so!

* * *

 **Chapter 5 - Provenza**

He didn't notice it immediately. That should have told him something about how observant he was when the Captain wasn't around. Andy had arrived and after getting his coffee, he was looking through the messages that were left on his desk overnight. It was not until he went to shrug out of his jacket and drape it on the back of his chair that he realized something in the Murder Room was amiss. He saw it out of the corner of his eye and let his gaze wander toward it.

Attached to the outside of Sharon's door was a bright yellow envelope with _Captain Raydor_ written on it in big, bold letters. There was also a small banner attached to the door which read _Welcome Back_. They hadn't exactly gone all out, but it was a small token at least. It wasn't too surprising, just the day before Amy had been talking about how they needed to do _something_ to acknowledge her return. Andy hadn't really responded to that, beyond agreeing that it would be nice.

Sharon had been out of the office for a week while she recovered from her gunshot wound. Emily and Ricky had been with her for most of it, but her daughter had needed to return to New York mid-way through the week. Ricky was still hanging out at the condo, and with all three of her kids there, it had made for some pretty crowded quarters. Andy had been dropping by in the evenings to check on her, but going home each night. It was driving him crazy. He couldn't begrudge her having the kids around when they lived so far away, and he sure as hell couldn't say anything about their need to be near their mother considering what happened. Andy just hadn't realized how much, and how quickly, he had gotten used to sleeping next to her at night; or waking up with her each morning.

His house was quiet in the mornings. They hadn't been together very long, but damn if he didn't miss tripping over her as they got ready for work. Andy was even missing the sound of the music she played while she put on her makeup. He was more of a news guy, but the last few mornings, he found himself turning on the stereo instead. Andy had to shake his head at himself. The woman was taking over his life, but he just couldn't be bothered to mind. He liked the little changes that he was beginning to identify.

Hell, he was even missing Rusty's sarcastic mouth.

Andy told himself to hang in there for another day. With Sharon coming back to work, Ricky was going to be heading home. Things would start to get back to normal for them. Andy just never realized how much of his normal now revolved around _her_. It wasn't a bad thing; it just took him by surprise. The reality of being with Sharon was different than how he imagined it. It was also a lot better.

That brought him back to the items decorating her door. He had to admit to himself that if she had been there, he would have already noticed them. He had hardly looked at, or been near, her office this week. That just reminded him how much he was missing her. He was definitely ready for life to get back to normal.

Andy hooked a thumb at the office as he looked across the Murder Room. "Not bad," he told them. He knew that she would be touched by the gesture, but wouldn't want a fuss. Keeping it simple was the best way to go.

"Took you long enough." Provenza rolled his eyes. "What's the matter, distracted by actual work? It took me a whole ten minutes to pick all that out."

"You?" Andy stared at him.

"Well yeah," Provenza threw his hands up. "She was _injured_ , we should do something." He made a face as he mimicked the Captain's tone and words from the previous year, when Julio had been hurt. "Besides, I didn't want the whole Murder Room to end up stinking like tulips." He shot a disgruntled look at Amy. "Someone wanted to get her flowers."

Amy shook her head at him. "The Captain likes flowers," she said. "I think she would have appreciated something colorful and nice in her office on her first day back."

"She was only gone a week." The Lieutenant snorted. "Let's not make a bigger deal out of it than we have to." Provenza leaned back in his chair. "Besides, I left plenty of things in her office." He smirked happily. "All the paperwork that she needs to sign off on now that her majesty is returning. I would hate for her to think that I forgot about her."

Andy grunted as he turned away. "You're all heart," he muttered. He lowered himself into his chair and opened the financial report that he requested the previous day. "I think what the Captain will appreciate most is not having to redo all the paperwork that you left her."

"Exactly!" Provenza grinned widely. "It took a few years, but I've got her figured out!"

While the others laughed, Andy rolled his eyes. He made a mental note to keep an eye on her. No doubt she would end up trying to work late just to finish it in one day. "Congratulations," he drawled, "we'll get you an award later."

"Could you?" Provenza smirked as he handed back the sarcasm in spades. "That would be great. Make sure you have it engraved. I'll even put it on my desk." The gesture that his partner shot at him only made him grin widely. He had annoyed Flynn; he decided that his day was off to a pretty great start.

The familiar click of heels moving down the hall toward them interrupted what may have remained of their exchange. Andy leaned back in his chair and turned toward the sound. Sharon's attention was on her phone as she approached, so he took a moment to admire the red dress and fitted, charcoal blazer, even if it was an outfit that he had seen a dozen times. The sound of his partner snorting drew his gaze in that direction. Andy just glared back at him. So what if he had it bad? The situation wasn't going anywhere, the old man could just get used to it.

"Welcome back, Captain!" Amy's voice rang through the Murder Room before anyone else could speak. She leaned forward in her seat and flashed a triumphant smile at the others. "How are you feeling?"

She lowered her phone and smiled warmly at them. "Thank you, Amy. I'm good." It was only a minor injury, but with the way that she had been smothered this week, Sharon was more than happy to be back at work. It wasn't that she hadn't enjoyed having the kids at home, because she had, but she hadn't needed them waiting on her hand and foot.

"Great!" Provenza slapped his hand against his desk. "Because Hobbs is coming by later, and I'm not in the mood. The case file is on your desk, have fun."

While the others groaned, Sharon just shook her head at him. "Thank you, Lieutenant. I look forward to reading it. Can I assume that it is at least complete?" Her eyes sparkled; she smiled knowingly at him.

"What?" He snorted. "You want me to do all your work for you? Who do you think I am? Flynn?" He smirked when her eyes narrowed and his partner scowled. "Don't worry; I put Tao's report in there with it. I'm sure it will have all the information that you need."

Mike shot a look at him. The Lieutenant's tone had his brows shooting up. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"That she will be reading for a while," Julio stated. "Welcome back, ma'am. I sent you an email with the cliff notes version."

"Thank you, Julio." Sharon smiled happily. At least she could count on one of them to act like it was an ordinary day. Provenza's report would have only the basic information, and probably a lot of conjecture that the spouse or significant other had done it. The report from Lieutenant Tao would be full of a lot of technical jargon that she would spend most of her time trying to decipher. Julio or Amy would stick to the facts, although the latter would prefer to give her those in person, and quite eagerly. "Give me a few minutes to get up to speed," she told them, "and then we can go over where you are with the case right now." Andy had given her a brief rundown the evening before, but she wasn't about to indicate that she knew most of it, or how, especially since it was largely discussed while he was washing her hair.

Sharon glanced at him as she turned toward her office. He left after tucking her into bed, something that he had been doing all week. She tried convincing him that he could stay those first couple of nights, but he was steadfast in his opinion that he should leave and allow her to have the time with her kids. She appreciated the thought, but she had all day with the kids; she didn't get to see him at all until he dropped by for dinner, or _with_ dinner on one occasion. There were even a couple of nights during the week that she did not see him at all; he was much too busy with work. She missed him. Sharon was good on her own; she didn't need Andy to occupy her time, or to entertain her. She simply enjoyed being with him and had felt his absence this week.

She offered him a brief, but warm smile before she moved toward her office. Sharon stopped short of reaching for the door. She had not noticed the banner or the card before, but smiled brightly upon seeing them now. "You all didn't have to do this," she said, but her voice had softened and grown thick with emotion. She pulled the card from the door and glanced back at them, eyes shining brightly. "Thank you."

"It was the least we could do." Provenza grinned, but there was mischief in the look. "Our little way of saying that we're you're back, learn how to duck, now get to work."

Sharon rolled her eyes at him. "Of course it is. Far be it for me to disagree." She arched a brow at him. "Which must mean that is a report that you are working on and not a crossword puzzle."

"Of course it is." He held up the folder. "What am I? A rookie?"

Sharon only hummed as she reached for her door again. No, as a matter of fact, he was not. On the other hand, she figured him out long ago. He had the crossword tucked into the file folder. It wasn't much of a disguise, but she would give him points for the effort. "Fifteen minutes, Lieutenant, and then I want a full briefing."

"Yes, yes," he waved a hand at her. "You might want to make it twenty..." He smirked deviously and leaned forward against his desk as she pushed the door open.

She was met with a small amount of resistance as she pushed on the door. Sharon only took half a step forward. Her brows lifted toward her hairline. "Oh." Her eyes scanned the interior of her office slowly. "Hm." She stepped back and pulled the door closed. "Well, that is..." There were just no words. Sharon withdrew her hand from the door knob and turned. "Lieutenant."

"Yes?" Provenza tilted his head at her. "Was there something the matter, Captain?"

"What did you do?" Andy's brows drew together in a scowl. He glanced at the others. Amy and Julio both had their heads ducked, and the latter was laughing. He glanced at Mike and sighed at the way he just shook his head and rolled his eyes. Andy looked beyond him and narrowed his eyes at Buzz. The other man just shrugged and turned away. "Oh for crying out loud." Andy stood up and walked over. He pushed her door open himself. "God almighty!"

The room was filled with balloons. They floated almost wall to wall, with their brightly colored ribbons hanging like a thick curtain in the office. There was a multitude of colors and sizes, from the plain, basic balloon to the shining foil variety. It was the one that was attached to her desk that drew his attention. It was a pale blue balloon that proclaimed _Congratulations, it's a Boy!_

Andy turned and shot a glare at his partner. "Really?"

Provenza grinned widely. The Captain wouldn't get it, but he figured Flynn would. If not, he would explain it later. If they were going to insist upon going down this road, they needed a matched set of balloons. It was a little bit like having _his and hers_. It was also his little way of giving in and allowing them to do, whatever the hell it was that they were doing. For crying out loud, if the woman could get shot without his partner turning into a crying old woman, and only managing to throw a minor temper tantrum, then maybe it wasn't so bad after all. Provenza decided that he would still be on the lookout for any trouble, but as long as everything else kept running smoothly, who was he to care? In fact, maybe later, if he was still feeling cheerful about it all, he might even pull Rusty aside and have a word or two with him... if the boy was still being difficult. He wasn't too sure about how that was going, but it couldn't hurt to check it out a little bit.

For the present, he was just going to let all of it ride. Provenza was entirely too pleased with himself to bother worrying about it. He pointed at them. His eyes were sparkling happily. "Now _that_ is what I call a sense of occasion."

 _ **~FIN**_


End file.
